Sunil Chhetri

Sunil Chhetri is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a forward and captains both the India national team and Indian Super League side Bengaluru FC. He is regarded as the greatest Indian footballer of all time and is renowned for link-up play, goal-scoring abilities, and leadership.

He is the fifth-highest international goalscorer among active players, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. He is also the most-capped player, and also the all-time top goalscorer for the India national team, with 84 goals in 131 appearances to date.

Early Life

Sunil Chhetri was born on August 3, 1984, in Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh (now Telangana), India. His parents, K.B. Chhetri and Sushila Chhetri, are of Nepali origin, and his father served in the Indian Army. Due to his father's job, Chhetri spent most of his childhood moving around different cities in India.

Chhetri's love for football began at a young age, and he started playing the sport seriously when he was in school. He attended Bahai School in Gangtok, Sikkim, and played for the school team, where he was noticed by scouts from various football clubs.

At the age of 17, Chhetri moved to New Delhi to join the famed Tata Football Academy, which has produced several top footballers in India.

Club Career

Sunil Chhetri began his professional career with the Kolkata-based club Mohun Bagan AC in 2002. He played for the club for three seasons, scoring 14 goals in 24 appearances. In 2005, Chhetri moved to JCT FC, a club based in Punjab. He played for the team for three seasons, scoring 21 goals in 48 appearances. Chhetri joined East Bengal FC in 2008, another Kolkata-based club. He played for the team for two seasons, scoring 27 goals in 48 appearances.

In 2010, he became the third player from the subcontinent to go abroad when he signed for the Kansas City Wizards of Major League Soccer. He only made one appearance before returning to India.

Chhetri joined Bengaluru FC in 2013, a club he still plays for today. He helped the team win multiple titles, including the Indian Super League in 2018-19 and the I-League in 2013-14, 2015-16, and 2016-17. He has scored a total of 101 goals in 208 appearances for the club.

International Career

Sunil Chhetri made his debut for the Indian National Football Team in 2005 against Pakistan in Quetta.

India defeated Cambodia 6-0 in Chhetri's first international tournament which was the 2007 Nehru Cup in which Chhetri scored 2 goals. Chhetri played a crucial role in India's victory in the Nehru Cup. He scored four goals in the tournament and was subsequently named Player of the Tournament.

Chhetri was the top scorer in the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup, which India won. He scored eight goals in the tournament, including two in the final against Tajikistan. He was also named the player of the tournament.

Chhetri played a key role in India's qualification for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup. He scored three goals in the tournament, including a brace against Thailand, but India failed to progress beyond the group stage.

Chhetri was named the player of the tournament as India won the 2011 South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship. He scored three goals in the tournament.

On June 10th, 2018, Chhetri scored twice in a 2–0 win over Kenya in the final to win the Intercontinental Cup. He finished as the top scorer of the tournament with eight goals.

India qualified for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup with Chettri becoming the top scorer in the third round of the qualifiers with 4 goals. He is currently the third-highest international goalscorer still actively playing, behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi with 84 goals in 131 appearances.

Records

• First Indian player to have played in three different continents

• Most goals by an Indian in AFC Competitions

• Most hat-tricks by an Indian in Indian Super League

• First Indian player to score hat-trick in Indian Super League

• Highest Indian goal scorer in Indian Super League

• Highest Indian goal scorer in I-League

• AIFF Player of the Year for a record seven times

• Most hat-tricks for India

• Most appearances for India

• Highest international goals by an Indian

• First Footballer to receive Khel Ratna Award

Awards and Achievements

Personal Life

Sunil Chhetri enjoys reading books, listening to music, and watching movies. He is also a big fan of cricket and tennis. Chhetri is involved in several charitable initiatives. He supports the cause of education and has donated to several schools and colleges in India. He is also an ambassador for the Special Olympics and supports the cause of promoting sports for people with disabilities.

Net Worth

As of 2023, the Indian footballer's net worth amounts to USD 1 million.

Family

Sunil Chhetri was born to parents K.B. Chhetri and Sushila Chhetri. His father was an officer in the Indian Army, and his mother was a housewife. He has two sisters as well.

Wife

He is married to Sonam Bhattacharya, who is the daughter of Mohun Bagan legend Subrata Bhattacharya.

Houses

His Bengaluru home is situated at the most prestigious and well-known pin code in garden city, which is 560001.