Indian football legend Sunil Chhetri has decided to come out of retirement to help the team in the upcoming FIFA international window, starting March 2025, announced AIFF on Thursday. Chhetri's return in Indian colours will be in the third round of qualifiers for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 against Bangladesh on March 25, as he was included in coach Manolo Marquez's list of 26 players for the March FIFA international window.

Shillong's Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium will host the Indian senior men's team's two matches that they will play during the FIFA international window this month.

India has been placed in a qualifying group alongside Bangladesh, Hong Kong (China), and Singapore for the Asian Cup. In the tournament's previous edition, India had a disappointing run, failing to progress past the group stage after losing all of their matches.

Chetri, India's all-time leading goal-scorer, had announced his retirement from international football in June last year after India played out a goalless draw with Kuwait in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers.

The 40-year-old, who is only behind Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Ali Daei in the all-time leading goalscorers list in men's football, continued to ply his trade for Bengaluru FC in the Indian Super League.

Chhetri has been instrumental in India's victories in the Nehru Cup (2007, 2009, 2012) and the SAFF Championship (2011, 2015, 2021). Most significantly, his contribution to India's 2008 AFC Challenge Cup win secured their first AFC Asian Cup appearance in 27 years.

Chhetri's international debut came in 2005, followed by his first goal against Pakistan. A defining moment arrived in the 2011 SAFF Championship, where he surpassed Indian legend I.M. Vijayan's record of six goals in a single edition by scoring a phenomenal seven, propelling India to victory and becoming the national team's highest scorer.