Sunil Chhetri’s 150th international match, India loses to Afghanistan

The 150th international match for Indian men’s football team captain Sunil Chhetri ended in disappointment. India lost to Afghanistan  2-1 in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier, played at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati, Assam, on 26 March 2024.

Sunil Chhetri became the 8th player in the world and the first Indian footballer to play 150 or more international matches.

In the match against Afghanistan, Sunil Chhetri scored the only goal for India, his 94th international goal. 

India's defeat against Afghanistan has diminished its chances of qualifying for a place in the third round of the FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup 2027 Preliminary Joint Qualifiers. India has just four points from four matches in the four-team Round 2 group. Currently, Qatar leads the group with nine points from three matches, while Afghanistan has four points from three matches.

India has two more games against Asian champions Qatar and Kuwait.

Sunil Chhetri's Contribution to Football and Records  

Sunil Chhetri is considered one of India's best men’s football players. 

He made his professional debut with Mohun Bagan club in 2002. He also played for the Kansas City Wizards, the USA’s Major League Soccer team, in 2010, and Sporting CP's reserve team in the Portuguese football league in 2012.

Sunil Chhetri played his first international match for India in 2005 and scored his first goal for the senior India national football team against Pakistan.

He has been named AIFF Male Player of the Year seven times.

3rd Highest goal scorer amongst the current players 

Amongst the active players, Sunil Chhetri is the third-highest goal scorer in international matches. Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal currently leads the tally with 128 goals, followed by Lionel Messi of Argentina with 106 international goals. Sunil Chhetri is the fourth-highest goal-scorer in the overall list.

Overall, in 511 club and international matches, Sunil Chhetri has scored 251 goals.

150  Match International Player 

Sunil Chhetri became the 8th player in the world to play 150 international matches for his country. 

The list is led by Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, with  205 international games.

Ronaldo is followed by Badr-Al-Mutawa of Kuwait (196 matches), Soh Chin Ann of Malaysia(195), Ahmed Hassan of Egypt (184), Ahmed Mubarak of Oman(183), Hasan Al Haydos of Qatar (183), Lionel Messi of Argentina (180).

International Trophy won for India. 

Sunil Chhetri has been part of the Indian men’s football team that has won the Nehru Cup (2007, 2009, 2012) and the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship (2011, 2015, 2021). He played a crucial role in India’s 2008 AFC Challenge Cup win, which helped them qualify for the first AFC Asian Cup (2011) in 27 years.