Chhetri has received numerous honours throughout his club career. He won the I League in 2009–10 with Dempo, and again in 2012–13 with Churchill Brothers.
Digital Desk: The legendary Indian striker
Sunil Chhetri, who is regarded as one of the best footballers ever produced in the nation, turned 39 on Thursday.
Chhetri made his professional debut for Mohun Bagan in 2002 after playing junior football for City Club Delhi from 2001 to 2002. Up until 2005, he was a member of the team and had eight goals in 18 games.
He played for JCT (2005–2008), East Bengal (2008–09), Dempo (2009–2010), Chirag United (2011), Mohun Bagan (2011–12), Churchill Brothers (2013 on loan), and Bengaluru (2013–15, 2016–present) later in his career.
Additionally, he spent time abroad with the Sporting CP soccer team in Portugal (2012) and the Kansas City Wizards of Major League Soccer (2010). During these periods, he improved his technique and became a more versatile striker.
In 134 club appearances throughout his two-decade career, he has scored 56 goals.
From 2004 through 2007, Chhetri competed for India in the under-20 and under-23 age divisions.
He scored a goal in his senior-level debut for India in June 2005 against arch-rival Pakistan.
Chhetri is the fourth-highest scorer in the history of international football with 92 goals scored in 142 games for India. He trails only Lionel Messi of Argentina (103 goals in 175 games) and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal (123 goals in 200 games) among active players.
Chhetri has received numerous honours throughout his club career. He won the I League in 2009–10 with Dempo, and again in 2012–13 with Churchill Brothers.
Chhetri has achieved most of his success while playing for Bengaluru FC. The I League (2013–14, 2015–16), the Indian Super League (2018–19), the Federation Cup (2014–15, 2016–17), the Super Cup (2018), and the
Durand Cup (2022) are among them.
His professional history abroad is as dazzling. In 2008, he and India won the AFC Challenge Cup. With SAFF Championship victories in 2011, 2015, 2021, and 2023, he has also contributed to India being a dominant power in South Asian football.
In 2007, 2009, and 2012, Chhetri and India won three Nehru Cup championships.
In 2018 and 2023, he played for two Indian teams that won the Intercontinental Cup.
Chhetri also guided India to the 2023 Tri-Nations Cup victory.
In total, Chhetri has won the esteemed All India Football Federation (AIFF) Player of the Year award seven times in the 2007–11, 2013–14, 2017, 2018–19, and 2021–22 seasons.
In 2009, 2018, and 2019, he also took home the FPAI Indian Player of the Year honour.
Chhetri has also won two significant government-sponsored athletic awards: the 2011 Arjuna Award and the 2021 Khel Ratna Award, which is the nation's top sporting prize.
This great Indian athlete is slated to compete for India at the Asian Games, which will take place in China from September 23 to October 8. Captain Chhetri will be under intense pressure to lead India to podium success and raise the tricolour to a new height at the continental level.
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