Sunil Chhetri, the captain of the Indian national football team, was born on August 3, 1984, in Secunderabad, India.
He is a member of both the Indian national team and Bengaluru FC, an Indian club. He holds the Indian national team record for most caps and goals scored.
Chhetri began competing in football competitions at a young age.
Chhetri began his professional career with Mohun Bagan in 2002. Later in his career, he played with JCT, the Kansas City Wizards of Major League Soccer.
From 2013 until 2015, he was a member of Bengaluru FC. Chhetri was signed by Mumbai City for Rs. 1.2 crores at the 2015 Indian Super League auctions, making him the most expensive Indian player.
International Debut for team India
On March 30, 2004, Chhetri made his debut for the Indian U-20 squad in a 1-0 victory over the Pakistan U-23 team at the 2004 SAF Games in Pakistan.
In Chhetri’s debut international event, the 2007 Nehru Cup, India trounced Cambodia 6-0, with Chhetri scoring two goals.
His outstanding form persisted, and he finally became one of India’s top players.
Chhetri rose to prominence and earned a name for himself with the national squad. He assisted India in winning the Nehru Cup three times in 2007, 2009, and 2012, as well as the SAFF Championship in 2011.
He was also one of India’s finest performers at the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup, helping India win the competition. In the process, the squad qualified for its first AFC Asian Cup in 27 years.
With two goals in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, he led India in scoring throughout their brief campaign.
Sunil Chhetri’s Club Career
Chhetri began his club career with Mohun Bagan in 2002, and after three years, he transferred to JCT, where he scored 21 goals in 48 games, the highest for any team in his career.
He became the third player from the subcontinent to join with the Kansas City Wizards of Major League Soccer in 2010.
Before returning to India, he played for Chirag United and Mohun Bagan. Chhetri was signed by Sporting Clube de Portugal of the Primeira Liga and played for the club’s reserve team.
In the Indian Super League, he also played for Bengaluru FC and Mumbai City FC.
Records by Sunil Chhetri
Chhetri was selected national team captain for the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualification tournament in Malaysia. After becoming the lead man of the team, he scored 21 goals and helped his team win more trophies.
In addition, Chhetri has been crowned AIFF Player of the Year five times, in 2007, 2011, 2013, 2014, and 2017. He is also the all-time leading goal scorer for the India national team, with 56 goals in 97 matches, and the most-capped player.
Aside from the Arjuna Award in 2011, he was also named FPAI Indian Player of the Year in 2009 and 2018, AFC Challenge Cup Most Valuable Player in 2008, SAFF Championship Player of the Tournament in 2011, Hero of the I-League in 2016-17, and Hero of the Indian Super League in 2017-18.
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