Sunil Chhetri, the captain of the Indian football team , is quickly establishing himself as the best Indian player in football history. In the most recent FIFA global rankings, India moved up five spots, from 103 to 98, and Sunil Chhetri, their captain, deserves all the credit. Most athletes lose motivation to play when they reach the age of 38, but Chhetri appears to be in his peak on the pitch.
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Sunil Chhetri
Sunil Chhetri is the captain of Bengaluru FC in the Indian Super League and a Centre forward for the Indian football team. Among all his attributes on the pitch, he is renowned for his leadership, link-up play, and scoring prowess. Of all the current and seasoned footballers, Sunil Chhetri has participated in the most matches for India. Chhetri hails from Andhra Pradesh’s Secunderabad.
Sunil Chhetri has an absurd record, winning the All-India Football Federation Player of the Year award seven times between 2007 and 2021–22. It says a lot about Chhetri’s consistency and self-assurance on the pitch when he represents his nation. In 2011, 2015, 2021, and the most recent edition, where Sunil Chhetri leads the competition with five goals, Chhetri contributed to India’s victories in the SAFF Championship. He is the Top Goal scorer in SAFF Championship History.
After defeating Chinese Taipei in the Intercontinental Cup in 2018, Chhetri tweeted a call for a strong Indian crowd for the match. The stadium was crowded for the remaining games. Sunil Chhetri received support from several celebrities, including Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. The tweet gained a lot of attention after it went viral, and the Blue Tigers immediately gained support and popularity throughout India.
The SAFF Cup has been well-attended, particularly in Bangalore. Sunil Chhetri’s goal against Kerala Blasters in the ISL semifinals of 2022–2024 sparked controversy. Ivan Vukomanovic, the coach of the Kerala Blasters, ordered his side off the pitch because they disagreed with the referee’s ruling that the goal was lawful. After the game, Kerala Blasters supporters burned Chhetri’s poster in protest.
Out of all the disapproval in Kerala Sunil Chhetri got the support from the fans all over India. Several fans and experts claimed that there was nothing wrong in the goal according to the Rulebook.
Image Source: Sunil Chhetri Instagram
Sunil Chhetri the third highest Goal scorer in International Football
With 92 goals in 140 games to date, Sunil Chhetri is only behind Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal and Lionel Messi of Argentina. Sunil Chhetri was the only player from India to get into the Top 10 goal scorers globally in 2019. In total, Sunil Chhetri has made 452 appearances and scored 217 goals. With 23 goals, Sunil Chhetri leads the SAFF Championship in scoring.
For his extended career in Indian football, Sunil Chhetri has garnered various national honors. Sunil Chhetri was awarded the fourth-highest civilian honor in India, the Padma Shri, in 2019. All the young Indian boys who enjoy football look up to the small minnow. Sunil Chhetri is the representative of Indian football in the world of footballing legends.
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