Indian football team captain Sunil Chhetri announced on Thursday that he will play his last international game during the upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifier against Kuwait on June 6.

Chhetri made his announcement via his social media accounts, delivering a long and emotional speech reflecting on his national team career.

The forward is the most decorated Indian footballer. He first donned the Senior National Team jersey on June 12, 2005, in a friendly match against Pakistan in Quetta, where he was India’s scorer in the 1-1 draw. Since then, he has made 150 appearances for the national team, netting a record 94 goals. He last scored in the World Cup qualifier against Afghanistan in March, which ended in a 2-1 defeat for India.

Currently, India is placed second in their World Cup qualifying group, level on points with third-placed Afghanistan and one point ahead of bottom-placed Kuwait, with all teams having played four games. India will first play Kuwait at home, followed by another away match against Qatar in June.

Chhetri's illustrious career includes winning the AIFF Player of the Year award six times, the Arjuna Award in 2011, and the Padma Shri in 2019.