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Indian football doesn’t have too many heroes but Bhaichung Bhutia and Sunil Chhetri are exceptions. The two strikers are household names who have made Indian football proud on numerous occasions.Bhaichung maybe retired now but is still considered to be the Indian football icon. Besides breaking several goal-scoring records, Bhaichung has been an ambassador for the sport and has even functioned as an administrator as he co-owns the club United Sikkim.Sunil in many ways has been Bhaichung’s successor in the national team and is the current India captain. He is possibly the only name among current Indian footballers who is well known to the masses and has played a pivotal role in raising the profile of the sport in recent years.The combination of Bhaichung and Sunil was the last great strike-pairing that India had and it is a pity that they couldn’t play together for a few more years.Sunil might have surpassed Bhaichung as India’s highest goal scorer in international football but it is very difficult to decide who the better footballer is.However, just to pay tribute to the contributions of the two to Indian football, Sportskeeda comes up with a statistical comparison.
#1 Biographical details and career figures
In November 2013, Sunil equalled and surpassed Bhaichung Bhutia’s goal tally. Sunil has always looked up to Bhaichung for inspiration and Bhaichung was full of praise for India’s new record goal scorer. “I’m very proud of him. I’m proud of the fact that I have been there for a major part of his achievements. A major number of his goals were scored when we played together. Obviously he has scored quite a few after my retirement and reiterate that he will score many more,” he said. Still only 30, Sunil still has a few more years to increase his international tally and he should overtake Bhaichung’s NFL/I-League tally also.
Note: International goals and appearances as per AIFF records
Details/ Player | Bhaichung Bhutia | Sunil Chhetri |
Date of birth | 15 December 1976 | 3 August 1984 |
Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) |
International appearances | 107 | 81 |
International goals | 42 | 44 |
Club Goals in NFL/I-League | 88 | 77 |
#2 Clubs
Bhaichung has played club football for nearly two decades and has represented seven different clubs including three foreign teams. By contrast Sunil has only been playing for more than a decade but has been at ten different clubs including two foreign outfits. Bhaichung has been more unlucky with injuries though as he hardly got to play during his three-year spell at England’s Bury FC. Sunil also didn’t get to play much during his two foreign stints. While Mohun Bagan is the only club where Sunil has had more than one spell, Bhaichung has had multiple spells at both Kolkata giants – East Bengal (four times) and Mohun Bagan (twice). Additionally Bhaichung has also tripled up as co-owner, player and interim coach of United Sikkim.
Season | Bhaichung Bhutia | Season | Sunil Chhetri |
1993-1995 | East Bengal | 2001-2002 | City Club |
1995-1997 | JCT Mills | 2002-2005 | Mohun Bagan |
1997-1999 | East Bengal | 2005-2008 | JCT Mills |
1999-2002 | Bury FC (England) | 2008-2009 | East Bengal |
2002-2003 | Mohun Bagan | 2009-2010 | Dempo |
2002-2003 | Perak (Malaysia) on-loan | 2009-2010 | Kansas City Wizards (USA) |
2003-2005 | East Bengal | 2010-2011 | United SC |
2005-2006 | Selangor (Malaysia) | 2011-2012 | Mohun Bagan |
2005-2006 | East Bengal | 2012-2013 | Sporting Lisbon ‘B’ (Portugal) |
2006-2009 | Mohun Bagan | 2012-13 | Churchill Brothers on-loan |
2009-2011 | East Bengal | 2013-present | Bengaluru FC |
2011-2012 | United Sikkim |
#3 Club Honours
Both players have won the Indian top flight twice each but Bhaichung clearly has had a little more success at club level. While Bhaichung only won the league with East Bengal, Sunil has won it with two different clubs in consecutive campaigns. Sunil though is yet to win India’s FA Cup, Federation Cup, while Bhaichung has even lifted an international trophy in the form of the ASEAN Cup and the Indian Super Cup success came after a hattrick for Mohun Bagan against Dempo.
Competition | Bhaichung Bhutia | Sunil Chhetri |
NFL/I-League | 1996-97 (JCT); 2003-04 (East Bengal) | 2012-13 (Churchill Brothers); 2013-14 (Bengaluru FC) |
Federation Cup | 2006-07; 2008-09 (both Mohun Bagan) | |
Other | ASEAN Cup 2003 (East Bengal), Indian Super Cup (Mohun Bagan) |
#4 International Honours
The international honours of both players are similar with most of the trophies coming thanks to their partnership upfront. The 2007 Nehru Cup was their first silverware together but the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup remains their highlight as winning that trophy earned India a place in the Asian Cup. Individually, Bhaichung was instrumental in the SAFF Championship successes of 1999 and 2005 while Sunil was India’s best player in the 2011 SAFF Championship and 2012 Nehru Cup triumphs.
Competition | Bhaichung Bhutia | Sunil Chhetri |
SAFF Championship | 1997, 1999, 2005 | 2011 |
Nehru Cup | 2007, 2009 | 2007, 2009, 2012 |
AFC Challenge Cup | 2008 | 2008 |
#5 Individual Honours
Both players have won numerous individual accolades. Sunil has won the AIFF Player of the Year more times but Bhaichung has been MVP in both international and club continental competitions. Both are Arjuna Award winners but Bhaichung has won more civilian honours and became the first Indian footballer to win the Padma Shree before retirement. Sunil would surely win more civilian accolades after he hangs up his boots and recently finished top scorer in the top flight, something which Bhaichung achieved in the inaugural season of the NFL.
Year | Bhaichung Bhutia | Year | Sunil Chhetri |
1995 | AIFF Player of the Year | 2007 | AIFF Player of the Year |
1997 | NFL top scorer | 2009 | FPAI Indian Player of the Year |
1998 | Arjuna Award | 2011 | SAFF Championship top scorer and best player; AIFF Player of the Year; Arjuna Award |
1999 | SAFF Championship joint-top scorer | 2012 | Nehru Cup top scorer |
2003 | ASEAN Cup top scorer; MVP | 2013 | AIFF Player of the Year |
2005 | SAFF Championship MVP | 2014 | I-League join-top scorer |
2008 | AFC Challenge Cup MVP; AIFF Player of the Year; Padma Shree | ||
2014 | Banga Bhushan |
