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What’s the Story
Sunil Chhetri has overtaken Bhaichung Bhutia as the leading goalscorer in the history of Indian league football. The Bengaluru FC striker overtook Bhutia’s record of 89 goals after he scored his club’s equaliser in the I-League match against Aizawl FC earlier today.
The tally of goals scored covers both the now defunct National Football League and the on-going I-League.
He's no stranger to records! The skipper is now the top-scoring Indian in the history of the League (NFL and I-League). #CaptainFantastic pic.twitter.com/fVyzqKIFzc
— Bengaluru FC (@bengalurufc) February 15, 2017
In case you didn’t know...
Bhaichung Bhutia started his senior career in Indian football with East Bengal in 1994, when he was still 16-year-old. He then went on to play for clubs like JCT Mills and Mohun Bagan in India, Bury in England and Perak and Selangor in Malaysia.
The Sikkimese footballer, during his playing career, reached milestones such as most goals for India, most caps for the national team and most number of goals in NFL/I-League.
Surprisingly, all these records were bettered by Chhetri in the future. The former Mohun Bagan striker took his club BFC to the finals of AFC Cup last year and also helped the club to the I-League title.
Heart of the matter
Bhaichung Bhutia, in his 20-years long career in Indian league football (which was disrupted by his spells in England Malaysia), scored 89 goals. Chhetri, who has played for both East Bengal and Mohun Bagan as well, equalled the tally in Bengaluru’s last outing, against Minerva Punjab FC at the Kanteerava.
Then against Aizawl earlier today the 32-year-old surpassed the record after he scored his fourth goal of the season in Mizoram. The home side were leading the match after a Brandon Vanlalremdika strike in the 40th minute and BFC’s captain’s 45th-minute thunderbolt ensured the visitors carried home a point from the match.
70 minutes played here in Aizawl where it's still 1-1 after a strike from the skipper canceled out Vanlalremdika's opener. #AFCvBFC pic.twitter.com/UiOWHG9n2U
— Bengaluru FC (@bengalurufc) February 15, 2017
Following the two Indian football legends on the most goals scored chart are Abhishek Yadav and Ashim Biswas with 40 goals, and RC Prakash and Jeje Lalpheklua with 38 goals apiece.
What’s Next
The defending champions, Bengaluru FC, are currently languishing at the fifth position in the I-League, with 12 points in eight matches. With Chhetri returning to form with now his fifth goal in as many matches, will want to pull his side further up the table and ensure they defend their title successfully.
Also Read: I-League 2017: Why Bengaluru FC are struggling for results this season
Sportskeeda’s take
Having takenover Bhutia as the highest goal-scorer for the national side and also the most capped player, surpassing the top NFL/I-League goalscorer record is another feather in the cap of the great striker. With a few of years of top level football still left in him, Chhetri will, in all probability, set the standards fairly high for anyone to reach easily.
