Born on 3 August 1984, Sunil Chhetri is a retired Indian professional footballer known for his role as a forward and captaincy of both the Indian Super League club Bengaluru and the India national team. Renowned for his link-up play, goal-scoring abilities, and leadership, he ranks as the third-highest international goalscorer among active players (fourth overall), trailing only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Chhetri also holds the record for the most international appearances and goals for the India national team, earning him recognition as one of the greatest Indian footballers of all time.
On 16 May 2024, Chhetri announced his retirement from the Indian national team following their FIFA World Cup qualification match against Kuwait on 6 June 2024.
Chhetri’s professional journey began at Mohun Bagan in 2002 before moving to JCT, where he scored 21 goals in 48 games. He played for the Delhi team in the 59th edition of Santosh Trophy, scoring six goals in the tournament, including a hat-trick against Gujarat. Chhetri later signed for Major League Soccer side Kansas City Wizards in 2010, becoming one of the notable players from the Indian subcontinent to play abroad. After returning to India’s I-League, he played for Chirag United and Mohun Bagan before joining Sporting CP’s reserve side in the Primeira Liga.
Throughout his career, Chhetri played a pivotal role in India’s victories in the Nehru Cup in 2007, 2009, and 2012, as well as the SAFF Championship in 2011, 2015, 2021, and 2023. He led India to win the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup, securing their first AFC Asian Cup qualification in 27 years, and scored twice in the final tournament in 2011. In 2016, Chhetri guided Bengaluru FC to a silver medal finish in the AFC Cup. He has been named AIFF Player of the Year a record seven times and received the Arjuna Award in 2011, the Padma Shri in 2019, and the Khel Ratna Award in 2021, becoming the first footballer to receive India’s highest sporting honor.
Personal
Sunil Chhetri was born in Secunderabad, India, to K. B. Chhetri and Sushila Chhetri, both serving in the Indian Army. His father played football for the Indian Army team, while his mother and her twin sister represented the Nepal women’s national team. Chhetri spent his childhood in Darjeeling, attending Bethany School, where he played football and participated in various tournaments.
Growing up, Chhetri lived at Pashupati Fatak and developed fluency in five languages: English, Hindi, Nepali, Bengali, and Kannada. He also has some understanding of Telugu, Marathi, and Konkani.
On 4 December 2017, Chhetri married Sonam Bhattacharya, daughter of former Indian international and Mohun Bagan player Subrata Bhattacharya. In 2018, he was named an ‘Asian Icon’ by the AFC on his 34th birthday. Chhetri signed a three-year deal with global sports brand Puma starting from 2020.
On 27 September 2022, FIFA released a documentary on FIFA+ called ‘Captain Fantastic,’ consisting of three episodes that chronicle Chhetri’s journey from his pre-teen years to his debut for India at age 20, his relationship with his wife, and his football career’s early days and peak.
Chhetri and his wife Sonam welcomed their son Dhruv on 31 August 2023 when the footballer was 39 years old.