New Delhi, Feb 8: Indian football striker Sunil Chhetri, has been released by the Sporting Kansas City, a Major league Soccer side. He just played one official match and this snub has in a way shattered his aspirations to play in the American Major League Soccer.

Without giving a reason for Chettri's release, Sporting Kansas City vice-president Communications Rob Thomson said, "Sporting Kansas City did not pick up Sunil Chhetri's option for 2011."

It is understood that coach Peter Vermes was not keen to continue with him because of the limit imposed on the total number of international players in a team.

In his only match for the Sporting Kansas, he picked up a yellow card and was substituted at halftime.

Chhetri is now without a club, though there were reports of Australian A-League side Perth Glory showing interest in him. Chettri, had become the second Indian footballer in the post-independence era to join a professional league side abroad. Baichung Bhutia was the first one.

OneIndia News