sunil chhetri
AIFF Media

What would have happened to the Indian football team if there was no Sunil Chhetri? Definitely regarded by one and all as the last man standing, the legendary Indian forward himself doesn't at all mention that he is sole the reason behind the Indian football team resurgence over the recent years.

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The humility of the 32-year-old Chhetri once again came to the fore as he took the dais before national team coach Stephen Constantine in the post-match press conference of the India vs Kyrgyzstan match on Tuesday, June 13, at the Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru.

Chhetri's solitary goal to give the hosts a crucial 1-0 victory is seen as one of the best goals ever scored by an Indian footballer.

Before we proceed further, CHECK OUT the goal below:

Several football statisticians are even looking back at history books and past video footages to witness when it was the last time that such a superb goal was scored.

Gautam Roy, a revered football statistician based in Kolkata, pointed out that Chhetri's goal on Tuesday joined an elite club of the greatest goals scored by footballers while playing for the national team.

Here's the list

  • Neville D'Souza Vs Yugoslavia at Melbourne - 1956 Olympics
  • Tulsidas Balaram vs Hungary (World Cup team) at Rome - 1960 Rome Olympics
  • PK Banerjee Vs South Korea at Jakarta - 1962 Asian Games Final
  • Chuni Goswami vs Iran at Kolkata - 1964 Pre Olympics
  • IM Vijayan Vs Yemen at Sa'ana 2001 Pre World Cup
  • Inder Singh Vs South Korea at Tel Aviv - 1964 Asia Cup Finals.

Chhetri was asked in the post-match presser about how he felt to be the last man standing in the Indian football team. The Bengaluru FC man had a classy take on that:

"It wouldn't have happened if there was no Jeje Lalpekhlua playing the brilliant final ball to me... it wouldn't have happened if Eugeneson Lyngdoh was not playing all the lovely passes and it also wouldn't have happened if Gurpreet Singh Sandhu was not making the lovely saves in the goal.

"All in all, it's about the entire team. I am nothing if the team doesn't perform as a whole. From the players to the head coach to the ball boy and even the media, I am indebted to one and all."

The instant reaction of a resounding ovation from the journalists, Constantine himself as well as the other media staff and the backstage people at the press conference, said it all.

Notable reactions to Chhetri's goal