India’s footballer Sunil Chhetri came up with a shocking comparison as he claimed himself to be better than star footballers Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo when it comes to representing the national team.
Sunil Chhetri, who has been leading India’s national football team for over a decade is considered one of the most decorated footballers in India’s history. The striker is in the list of the top 10 highest goal scorers alongside Ronaldo and Messi.
The star Indian footballer denied any comparison of him with the rest of the leading goal scorers before claiming that he could be even better when it comes to representing the national team.
“There’s no comparison with the rest of the nine names on the list. I mean, I am a fan of players like Ronaldo and Messi, just like so many other fans of them. There’s just no comparison, and I don’t take this list, or whatever this list is, too seriously. But, yes, when it comes to representing the national team, I can be even better than them,” Chhetri said.
“Right now, international football is such that no one knows what will happen, and underdogs, too, can win! You just never know what is going to happen in football. That’s why we have to give our best, and that’s a message I am trying to send to the rest of the team,” he added.
Earlier this month, Sunil Chhetri led India to South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship title victory and finished the tournament as the leading goal-scorer and was also named the Player of the Tournament.
Speaking about the tournament, Sunil Chhetri gratefully acknowledged the support and encouragement that he and the rest of the Indian team had received.
“It has been great, the support, right from day 1 (of the tournament). On the pitch, the way fans were and encouraged us throughout the game was something special and something magical. Also, the fact that Kuwait and Lebanon — who were India’s opponents in the final and the semi-finals, respectively — are not exactly SAFF teams. They were invited, and they are really good quality sides. So beating them, competitions like them, also felt great.”
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