Dino Morea on Sunil Chhetri's retirement: Will miss watching him in Indian squad
Bollywood actor Dino Morea said he was 'sad' to hear about Chhetri's retirement
Bollywood actor Dino Morea joined thousands of those who wished footballer Sunil Chhetri, who announced his retirement on Thursday. The 48-year-old actor, who is a huge football fan, told us that he'd miss seeing Chhetri's name on the Indian teamsheet, after June 6. "We will miss his excellent footballing skills, and surely will miss watching him in the Indian squad," Morea said.
The actor also said that while it was "sad" to hear about Chhetri's retirement, he understood the reasons behind it. "[It is] Sad to hear Sunil’s retiring, but then our body’s can only endure that much. He’s so instrumental in inspiring so many youngsters to join this beautiful game, and obviously won accolades for India," he said. "Good luck to him for his new chapter," Morea added.
For the uninitiated, on Thursday, Chhetri posted a 10-minute long video on social media platforms, announcing that he'd retire at the age of 39 and that he will play his last match on June 6, against Kuwait, as part of the World Cup Qualifiers.
"The recollection of the last 19 years is a combination of duty, pressure and immense joy. I never thought that these are the many games I would play for the country, good or bad but now I did but these last one and half two months I did. And this (the feeling) was very strange. I was probably going towards the decision that this game (against Kuwait) is going to be my last," Chhetri said in the video.
Across club and country, Chhetri's goal tally stands at a remarkable 252 in 515 appearances, averaging almost a goal every two games. This consistency and talent haven't gone unnoticed. In 2022, FIFA honoured him with a documentary titled "Captain Fantastic," celebrating his journey and achievements.