Sunil Chhetri

Sunil Chhetri (born 3 August 1984) is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a striker or winger and captains both Indian Super League side Bengaluru FC and the Indian national football team. Chhetri is the fourth-highest international goalscorer among active players, after Cristiano Ronaldo, Ali Mabkhout and Lionel Messi,[2][3] and 13th-highest of all time, as of June 2021. He is both the most-capped player and the all-time top goalscorer for his national team.[4][5][6]

Chhetri began his professional career at Mohun Bagan in 2002,[7][8] moving to JCT where he scored 21 goals in 48 games.[9] He signed for Major League Soccer side the Kansas City Wizards in 2010, becoming the third player from the subcontinent of note to go abroad.[10] He returned to India’s I-League where he played for Chirag United and Mohun Bagan before going back abroad, at Sporting Clube de Portugal of the Primeira Liga, where he played for the club’s reserve side.[11]

Chhetri helped India win the 2007, 2009, and 2012 Nehru Cup, as well as the 2011 SAFF Championship. He was also helped India win the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup, which qualified them to their first AFC Asian Cup in 27 years,[12] scoring twice in the final tournament in 2011.[13] Chhetri has also been named AIFF Player of the Year a record six times in 2007, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017 and 2018–19.[14][15]