Sunil Chhetri the fan beat Sunil Chhetri the pro

Sunil Chhetri had initially declined being part of the tour, reportedly conscious of the optics and the larger challenges facing Indian football. Injured and spending more time in recovery than on the pitch, he was close to skipping the evening altogether. Eventually, however, at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, the fan in him prevailed. As Chhetri later shared online, meeting Lionel Messi — whose football he credits for being a source of joy during diffi cult moments — felt like a reminder of why he fell in love with the game. The decision struck a chord with fans, many of whom celebrated the moment as a meeting of two greats and applauded Chhetri for allowing himself a rare, unguarded fan moment, even as a few online voices debated the symbolism and optics of the encounter.

Chants and cheers over the meeting of ‘two GOATs’
The most unexpected flex of the evening came from the stands. With Messi right there, the crowd broke into chants of “Sunil Chhetri!” Indian fans, it turns out, can hold two legends in their hearts at the same time. Social media erupted. Some called it a meeting of ‘two GOATs’. Others, staying true to form, found faults to pick. Why wasn’t Chhetri wearing an Indian jersey? Why didn’t he gift Messi one? Why wasn’t this moment solving Indian football’s systemic problems?


ALMOST DIDN’T MAKE IT: CHHETRI, IN HIS POST
“The build-up to Saturday was filled with little fights, and in a rare win, Sunil Chhetri the fan beat Sunil Chhetri the pro, and I couldn’t be happier about it. I’ve been nursing an injury that’s restricted me to a hobble and needless to say, I don’t like being around even myself when I’m spending more time on the physios table than the pitch. I almost didn’t make the trip to Mumbai, till the fan in me rebelled and went anyway. Turned out, meeting the man who makes me very happy, and whose art is my antidote for all the times I am sad, was exactly what I needed. To be able to express my gratitude to @leomessi in person for everything that he has done for our sport felt like both - a dream and a duty. It was lovely to meet another World Cup winner in Rodrigo De Paul, and then there was the child-like excitement to share the frame with arguably the most complete No.9 of our generation - Luis Suarez. And Mumbai, you absolute beauty, thank you for making me feel so loved. I do not take it for granted. At the end of it, I guess, both the Chhetri’s turned up on Saturday and the joy was twice as much. (sic)” posted Sunil Chhetri on his social media page.

Get an chance to win ₹5000 Amazon Voucher by taking part in India's Biggest Habit Index! Take the survey here