Kolkata, May 25 -- Sunil Chhetri is the only Indian player to record an appearance in three AFC Asian Cups, according to a release from AIFF.

The path to reach Asia's showpiece event is always a gruelling one. From scoring that unforgettable hat-trick way back at the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup final, which led India to the 2011 Asian Cup, to now battling for qualification for the 2027 edition in Saudi Arabia, Chhetri's longevity in the national team is unmatched.

Between 1960 and 2007, India had only qualified for two Asian Cups. And now, as the Blue Tigers aim to script history by making it to three successive Asian Cups for the first time, Chhetri tags it as a 'bare minimum' requirement for the nation. But it's a year-long journey of qual...