On Wednesday night, soon after the conclusion of an electrifying football match at the Kanteerava Stadium in Bangalore, Sunil Chhetri walked into the press room to a huge round of applause from all the journalists present.
Chhetri had just inspired Bengaluru FC to become the first Indian club to reach the AFC Cup final. He had bust a gut in doing so, covering each blade of grass, dripping blood, sweat and tears. He energized standing team-mates, picked up fallen ones, boomed forward, tracked back, and scored two of the most memorable goals of his career. For 90 minutes, he had transcended mere numbers and statistics.
On Wednesday night, the Kanteerava Stadium was enveloped in a sea of blue hours before kick-off. A month back, Bengaluru began a new reign under Spanish coach Albert Roca with an impressive win against Tampines Rovers, but unrest in the city meant that match was played behind closed doors. Now, on their biggest night, they finally had the voice of 20000 delirious fans spurring them on. Later, match won, Chhetri and Roca thanked the supporters and acknowledged their role in the win. "It's my first experience with a crowd like this," Roca said. Chhetri immediately stepped in: "This is a guy who has worked at FC Barcelona. When he says he has never experienced a crowd like this, you know just how it was tonight."
Anticipation for this contest had been sky high. In the days leading up to the semifinals, posters of Chhetri urging fans to come and shout for the team could be found everywhere - on streets, walls, hotels and restaurants.
Chhetri is not merely the face of Bengaluru. His influence extends well beyond his contributions on the field; he is a leader, in every sense of the term, capable of inspiring those besides him. When the Bengaluru players came out for their warm-ups, Chhetri was the first to wave to the crowd, and he was rewarded with an emphatic roar. When the line-ups were being announced, his name again got the maximum cheers. Chhetri himself has not been in the best of form leading into this game, missing a host of chances against Tampines in particular, but the crowd sensed something special was in the offing.
For 10 minutes, the noise was deafening at the Kanteerava. Every minute without a Johor goal was a minute Bengaluru - with the away-goal advantage - were closer to creating history. Then it suddenly went off script as Johor scored.
Chhetri was the first to pick the ball from the net and take it back to the centre circle. He wasn't about to immediately surrender, not when within touching distance of the grand prize.
He chugged along, his engine intact. It only needed one moment of magic or genius to turn the game on its head. Patience would be key. Bengaluru had all the possession and dominated the half, but the ball just would not go in. The crowd's frustration grew, but thankfully for them, their captain on the field was unnerved. His game so far had been flawless, making incisive runs, winning the flick-ons, and bringing others into play with his hold-up.
All half, Chhetri was a level above the other 21 players on the field. Five minutes from half time he rose again, to meet Eugeneson Lyngdoh's corner. Johor's defence looked equipped to deal with the set-piece, but this was Chhetri's moment and he glanced the header into the far corner.
Chhetri wheeled away in celebration. The score-line read 2-2 on aggregate, but Chhetri knew the significance of his goal. It didn't merely raised the volume at the stadium again, it seemed to have completely sucked out what little confidence Johor had till then.
Chhetri and Bengaluru came out for the second half with new-found vigour, and more tempo and purpose to their game. Vineeth set his captain up for a great chance early in the half, but Chhetri blasted it high and wide. "Man, Chhetri! You can't waste that, you're better than that," screamed a fan to the left of the press box.
The response came in the 67th minute when Chhetri, after exchanging passes with Vineeth, cut past one defender, then another, and, still outside the box, curled the ball into the top corner of the net. Johor's keeper Izham Tarmizi had no chance. If his first goal sucker-punched Dohor, the second was a potential knockout.
Bengaluru scented that their opponents were down, and immediately went for the kill; centre-back Juan Antonio headed home from a Lyngdoh free-kick soon after to add more gloss to the party.
When the referee blew the final whistle Chhetri did not immediately celebrate. He knew he owed the fans a debt, and, with his team-mates, proceeded to thank them all in a lap of honour around the stadium.
Their final bow was, fittingly, below the banner that reads "Let's create history together".
Together, they all did.