Sunil Chhetri's Last Dance In India's Must-Win Match Against Kuwait

Emotions will run high when the talismanic Sunil Chhetri leads India out one last time in a crucial FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Kuwait here on Thursday, hoping to propel his team into the next round as a parting gift after dominating the national football landscape for 19 years. The 39-year-old Chhetri will hang his boots at the end of this match and would like to ensure that the team enters the final-18 stage of the World Cup qualifiers for the first time. The top two teams from nine groups of four teams each will go on to make the third stage. This round will decide FIFA's increased allocation of eight World Cup berths for Asia.

It will be a little far-fetched to imagine India in the 2026 World Cup in North America, but a win over Kuwait will take the team into the unchartered territory of being up against the best of Asia in at least 10 matches. That would also translate into some quality friendly games.

Occupying the second spot behind Qatar (12 points) in Group A with four points from four games, India are ahead of Afghanistan on goal difference and Kuwait, who have three points.

A victory here will put India firmly ahead of Afghanistan, who face Qatar in a tough fixture later on Thursday.

Afghanistan have a seven-goal deficit against India and a win against Kuwait will virtually keep the equation out of their reach.

India face Qatar, while Afghanistan take on Kuwait in the final round fixtures on Tuesday.

For 19 years, Chhetri has carried the footballing hopes of a nation labelled as the 'sleeping giant' of world football.

With 94 goals from 150 appearances and a dozen trophies in his cabinet, the diminutive Indian captain is a bonafide legend of the game. And it will be an evening of high emotions at