Ballon d'Or winner Luka Modric sends heartfelt message to Sunil Chhetri ahead of his farewell match for India, "You are a legend of this game"

As Sunil Chhetri prepares to don the majestic blue of the Indian national team for one final time on Thursday, June 6, his farewell dace gained an added touch of poignancy with a heartfelt message from Ballon d'Or winner and Croatia captain, Luka Modric.

In a video posted on Wednesday by Indian head coach and former Croatian international Igor Stimac on X, the Real Madrid icon addressed the veteran Indian striker and hailed him as a legend of the game.

"Hi Sunil, I just want to say hello and wish you all the best fo your last game for the national game. Congratulations on your career. You're a legend of this game. To your teammates, I hope you make his last game special and unforgettable. Good luck and win for your captain. All the best and best regards from Croatia," the 38-year-old said.

Quite like Modric, the Secunderabad-born attacker has enjoyed an enduring career, representing the Blue Tigers on 150 occasions and accumulating an envious international goal tally of 94. The message from the Croat is a testament to Chhetri's efforts of shouldering the responsibility of posting India on the international football map.

Meanwhile, in the caption to the video, Stimac thanked his fellow countryman and assured him that they would do everything in their power to make the country and their departing captain proud.

"Thank you Luka. We will do everything in our power to make our country and our captain proud," the Croatian tactician wrote.

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Sunil Chhetri's farewell outing further amplified by the implications of the crucial World Cup Qualifier clash against Kuwait

The FIFA World Cup Qualifier clash against Kuwait isn't just another international outing for the Blue Tigers. There's an absurd marriage of melancholy and ecstasy. While Sunil Chhetri's imminent retirement has left the gaping in the hearts of the supporters, the Indian men's senior team stands at a juncture in their history that could, according to the skipper himself, alter the discourse around the team.

A victory against Kuwait in the second round of the Qualifiers all but guarantees an unprecedented pathway into the next rounds of the qualification stage. India are second in the Group A standings with four points, and three points would realistically ensure they can keep their spot and march ahead into the third round.

For Stimac's men, that's an uncharted territory and also an incredible opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the Asian elites.