India football captain Sunil Chhetri made his debut for the national team in 2005 and till date is one of the fittest players around.

The 36-year-old has a simple piece of advice for youngsters: just give your best.

“I advise youngsters to think about what you can do and not about what others are saying. I learnt this early in life — if you are more focused thinking about yourself, you won’t get time to worry about what others are saying,” Chhetri said during an online media conference on Wednesday.

“I stress on fitness. Doing the right exercises, avoiding the wrong kind of food, getting good sleep, drinking enough water. I tell them that you have been chosen from 1.4 billion people which should be enough motivation to stay disciplined.”

Chhetri went past Lionel Messi on the international goalscorers’ list on Monday. But he doesn’t wish to be compared to Messi.