Indian football icon Baichung Bhutia has announced his retirement from international football. The “Sikkimese Sniper” has decided to let the curtains fall after facing difficulties to regain fitness from a recurrent calf muscle injury.
The 34-year old striker had an extraordinary career with the Indian national football team and is rated as one of the best – maybe even the best – footballer the country has ever seen. Baichung led the Indian national team as a captain for more than a decade.
Baichung made his senior international debut in the Nehru Cup against Thailand at the age of 19 in 1995. India played Uzbekistan a few days later and Baichung Bhutia scored to become the youngest goals scorer ever for the Indian national team. The talismanic star skipper earned 110 senior international caps, while scoring 43 goals.
The AFC Asian Cup 2011 was planned to be Baichung’s farewell tournament, but the calf muscle injury forced him to sit on the bench for almost the complete tournament. The legendary #15 of Indian football was brought on for the last 15 minutes of India’s final group stage match against Korea Republic. He decided not to retire after the tournament as he felt he should step back on a positive note.
But things didn’t change much in the recent months and Baichung has made his mind to bring it to an end. Baichung will continue his club football with 2nd Division I-League club United Sikkim FC.
A living legend of Indian football says “goodbye” to international football – and the Indian football fraternity says “Thank You Baichung!”