SUNIL CHHETRI

The Sharp-Shooting ‘Kid At Heart’ Who Moved A Nation

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Sunil Chhetri, the all-time leading scorer in the Indian Super League, is renowned for his ability to link midfield and attack, as well as his goalscoring prowess.

AFC Champion

Chhetri has achieved a continental reputation from a country with a modest footballing one. As the fourth-highest goalscorer for any national team, he is widely regarded as India's greatest player.

Chhetri's international retirement in 2024 marked the end of a remarkable career that has placed him among the most prolific goal-scorers in football history.

Known for his significant charitable and community contributions, Chhetri features in our Champions of Progress edition of TREND 11, presented by NEOM, the global partner of the Asian Football Confederation.

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A Prolific Career

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Chhetri began his professional career at Mohun Bagan in 2002. A stint at JCT saw him score 21 goals in 48 matches. He was part of the Delhi team in the 59th Santosh Trophy held in Delhi, where he scored six goals, including a hat-trick against Gujarat.

But it was on the international stage where Chhetri shone brightest. He helped India win the Nehru Cup in 2007, 2009, and 2012, as well as the SAFF Championship in 2011, 2015, 2021, and 2023. He also led India to victory in the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup, which qualified the team for the Asian Cup for the first time in 27 years.

In the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, Chhetri scored two goals. Two years later, he led Bengaluru FC to the final of the AFC Cup. He has been named India's Footballer of the Year seven times: in 2007, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2019, and 2022.

With 94 goals in 151 international matches, as of the end of 2024 Chhetri is beaten for international goals by only Cristiano Ronaldo, Ali Daei, and Lionel Messi. That’s incredible company to keep.

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Charismatic Sporting Personality

Fan Champion

Chhetri was awarded the Arjuna Award in 2011 for his outstanding sporting achievements and the Padma Shri in 2019, India's fourth-highest civilian award.

In 2021, he became the first footballer to receive the Khel Ratna, India's highest sporting honour. Chhetri announced his retirement from professional football in June 2024, playing his last match for India’s national team against Kuwait at the age of 40.

Hailing from a sporting family, Chhetri's father played football for India’s army, while his mother and twin sister represented the Nepal women's national team. Chhetri spent most of his childhood in Darjeeling and started playing football at a young age.

Fluent in five languages – English, Hindi, Nepali, Bengali, and Kannada – Chhetri can also understand languages like Telugu, Marathi, and Konkani.

On December 4, 2017, Chhetri married his long-time girlfriend, Sonam Bhattacharya, daughter of former India international and Mohun Bagan player Subrata Bhattacharya. He was named Asian Icon by the AFC on his 34th birthday in 2018 and signed a three-year deal with Puma in 2020.

During Chhetri's era, football in India played second fiddle to cricket. However, his charismatic personality and stellar performances significantly boosted the popularity of the sport.

One of the most iconic moments in 2018 was when Chhetri made an earnest appeal on social media for fans to come and support the team during the Intercontinental Cup. The video went viral, and the stadium was packed with enthusiastic fans.

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Humanitarian Impact and Inspiration

Charity Champion

Chhetri is a pioneer in philanthropic work in India. In 2020, alongside his national team team-mates, he led campaigns to donate to the COVID-19 relief fund.

When a massive earthquake struck India and Nepal, Chetri partnered with the Indian Philanthropic Foundation to raise funds for the earthquake victims.

Chetri has a clear explanation for his relationship with football. In a recent interview with FIFA, he said: "I am a kid at heart. I love Marvel movies. If people want to judge me, I don't care.

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“I want to be honest! And with football, I don't want to sound cliche and say it's my life, but it's a big part of my life.

“A lot of the good things that have happened in my life, a lot of the lessons and maturity, and the strength to deal with things when they go wrong, have come from football.

“Almost everything, every good thing that has happened to me, has been because of football. The game has made me the person I am."