India, March 19 -- Indian football icon Sunil Chhetri, on Wednesday, made an emotional return to the national side as he scored a stunning goal in the team's 3-0 win against Maldives in an international friendly at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong.

Chhetri hung his boots in June 2024, after featuring in the World Cup qualifier against Kuwait, in front of nearly 59,000 fans in Kolkata. However, he reversed his decision on March 8, as he announced his international return with India targeting the Asian Cup in 2027.

Chhetri found the back of the net in the 76th minute of the game when Liston Colaco pinged a lovely cross into the near post. The 40-year-old, in another glimpse of his class, ran in front of his markers and glanced a h...