Sunil Chhetri, the Indian captain, surpassed Pele’s record during a match against the Maldives in the current 2021 SAFF Championship. The Indian captain is presently the third most prolific active international striker. Chhetri managed to outscore the Brazilian star athlete in the 62nd minute of the game against the Maldives.
Sunil Chhetri’s Record-Breaking Performance
Pele scored 77 goals for Brazil, but Chhetri surpassed his score in his last match. It is indeed a spectacular event worldwide, and no wonder Indian football fans are singing the praise for this highly skilled soccer player.
Chhetri scored another goal to his tally, increasing his international total to 79. The Indian captain is presently the third most prolific active international striker.
The two active international goalscorers of Chhetri are Lionel Messi with 80 goals and Cristiano Ronaldo with 115 goals. The Indian captain is now the world’s sixth-highest goalscorer.
On Wednesday, India overcame Maldives 3-1 to clinch a place in the 2021 SAFF Championship Final with Chhetri’s astonishing performance.
Match Highlights
Manvir Singh scored the first goal, and Sunil Chhetri added two more in the second half to give India a 3-0 victory.
Didn’t start like we should have, but ended exactly how we wanted to. Proud of this bunch and the way we got things on track.
I enjoyed watching that, Sahal.👌
Suresh, of all the things you copy from me, this is up there. Make it a habit.🙂 #SAFFChampionship2021 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/Z67Kca5qBh— Sunil Chhetri (@chetrisunil11) October 17, 2021
The sole goal for the hosts came from Maldives attacker Ali Ashfaq, who scored from the penalty spot in the first half. The Maldives tried to score a goal once from the right corner, but India was defending effectively from the start.
Subhasish Bose, who was already on a yellow card, committed another foul, forcing the referee to show him a second yellow card. It led India down to 10 men in the last few minutes of the game.
Sunil Chhetri, on the other hand, extended India’s advantage to two goals. Chhetri rose high and flicked his header into the top corner when a free-kick was sent from the right corner. The Maldives audience was on its feet by halftime. India controlled the ball for most of the first half and even grabbed the lead, so their win was quite predictable.
What We Think
We think Sunil Chhetri did a fantastic job in the match, defeating the Maldives with a 3-1 scoresheet. We do not doubt Chhetri’s skill as a footballer, and if he continues to keep his momentum like this, he will soon surpass Messi and Ronaldo. So let’s hope for the best and express our heartfelt congratulations to this player.
Read Also:
