‘Chhetri used to guide us through everything and has been a mentor for all of us,’ says Anirudh Thapa

A legendary figure like Sunil Chhetri in the national camp is always a big source of motivation for youngsters breaking into the team and Thapa believes that he has been lucky enough to share seven years with him.

FILE PHOTO: Four of Chhetri’s 94 goals have been assisted by the boots of Thapa | Photo Credit: MURALI KUMAR K/The Hindu

Not many players can boast a half-century of caps for the national team before turning 26. Anirudh Thapa can. At 57, the central midfielder has the third-highest appearances for India among the current players in the Blue Tigers camp behind Sunil Chhetri and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.

Thapa’s international career stretches almost seven years now. From the 19-year-old youngster who tiptoed into the Mumbai Football Arena pitch against Saint Kitts and Nevis to the 26-year-old midfield machine gearing up for one of the biggest matches of his career against Kuwait in just over a week.

India hosts Kuwait in its fifth FIFA World Cup Qualifier match at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata in what is veteran Chhetri’s final match before retiring from international football.

A legendary figure like Sunil Chhetri in the national camp is always a big source of motivation for youngsters breaking into the team and Thapa believes that he has been lucky enough to share seven years, an envious amount of time, with Chhetri.

On the pitch, Thapa and Chhetri’s chemistry is no secret. Four of Chhetri’s 94 goals have been assisted by the boots of Thapa. Twice at the 2018 Intercontinental Cup (against Chinese Taipei and Kenya), once against Nepal in a 2021 friendly and most recently against Kuwait in the SAFF Championship group stage - a stunning volley from an inch-perfect corner.

“Over the past seven years, whenever I’ve been in the national camp, he’s been the one everyone looks up to. He is an example-setter. He used to guide us through everything, tell us new things like how to stay fit, and what to do in your daily life. He has been a mentor for all,” said Thapa during an interaction with the AIFF website

But for now, all eyes are only on June 6 and the FIFA World Cup qualifier against Kuwait. For Thapa, the occasion cannot be more special. A must-win match for India’s third-round hopes in a place close to his heart, the Salt Lake Stadium, where he lifted the ISL Shield with Mohun Bagan SG a month ago. All of that, with an added emotion of bidding adieu to Chhetri.

“It is an important match for all of us, and especially for Sunil bhai. We need to make sure that we qualify for the third round because that would be huge for Indian football and the fans. We’re playing at the Salt Lake and the stadium will be fully packed. We all know how crazy the fans are and how much they love football there. We will give our best for the nation. We need to be at our best to get those three points,” concluded Thapa.