Have you ever wondered what Sunil Chhetri’s mother tongue is? Or why is the number 11 jersey practically synonymous with him? How about the staggering number of Sunil Chhetri goals for India, making him a legend not just in the country but globally?
Sunil Chhetri, the striker, the Indian football team’s ex-captain and living legend, runs down the pitch like a goal machine. The ball follows to his feet like magic. He glides among defenders with remarkable agility.
No matter how tough the game gets, Sunil never gives up. His fighting spirit is legendary among football experts worldwide!
Sunil isn’t just an ordinary player; he’s the highest goal-scorer for India! Almost two decades into the national team, he scored many goals for his country. He established himself as one of FIFA’s top ten international goal scorers and set a record.
Remember that hat trick against Chinese Taipei in the 2018 Hero Intercontinental Cup? That was pure Sunil Chhetri magic. However, Sunil’s abilities go beyond simply shooting the ball into the goal.
He is a team leader who instils drive, tenacity, and determination in his colleagues. It’s expected that every young player in India dreams of emulating him!
Table of Contents
Sunil Chhetri’s Mother Tongue & His Early Life
August 3, 1984, saw the birth of the renowned Indian football team captain, Sunil Chhetri, in Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh (now Telangana).
His parents are from Nepal, but later, they migrated to India. His father, KB Chhetri, served in the Indian Army, leading the family to move constantly for his job, and his mother, Sushila Chhetri, was the women’s national team footballer in Nepal.
Sunil Chhetri’s mother tongue is Nepali. In an interview, his sister, Bandana Chhetri, revealed, “We spoke Nepali at home, Hindi with friends, and English at school.” This multilingual upbringing likely played a part in Sunil’s early life and built qualities like adaptability and leadership in the field. These qualities help Sunil to be a humble person and a legend.
At 17, he got the limelight from his youth football team’s jersey. That time, he played for City Club Delhi. Even though his team didn’t make it to the quarterfinals, few numbers of Sunil Chhetri goals in the 2002 Durand Cup turned heads.
But his gameplay caught the attention of the Mohun Bagan selectors. After that, he was called up for the trial in Kolkata under Subrata Bhattacharya’s surveillance. He passed the trial, and Mohunbagan Signed him for the 2002-03 season.
Sunil Chhetri Jersey numbers of Professional Club Teams, National Team
Sunil Chhetri’s iconic jersey number is 11. He’s worn this number for most of his career, both with the Indian national team and at the club level. Over his long career, he has worn many different jerseys, but number 11 has come to represent him. For nearly two decades, Chhetri has been dominant in Indian football, and his connection with the number 11 only adds to his legendary status. Here are Sunil Chhetri’s jersey numbers at his club and national level.
- Mohun Bagan (2002-2005) – #11
- JCT FC (2005-2008) – #11
- East Bengal (2008-2009)- #11
- Dempo SC (2009-2010)- #7
- Kansas City Wizards (2010)- #19
- Chirag United (2011)- #26
- Mohun Bagan (2011-2012)-#11
- Sporting CP B (2012-2013)- #38
- Churchill Brothers (2013)- #47
- Bengaluru FC (2013-2015) -#11
- Mumbai City FC(2015-2016)- #11
- Bengaluru FC (2016-Present) -#11
- National Team- Ex-Captain- #11
Sunil Chhetri Club Career & National Team
Mohun Bagan
Sunil Chhetri started his professional journey at Mohun Bagan in 2002. Already, we discuss the story of his trial. Coach Subrata Bhattacharya (now his father-in-law) selected him in that trial. Sunil was impressed with his pace, dribbling skills, and knack for finding the net.
Chhetri faced initial challenges in adapting to the professional setup. But Chhetri’s determination and will to score goals sparkled clearly.
Former teammate Sangram Mukherjee recalled in an interview, “We all knew he was special. He’d stay back after practice, working on his finishing. The power and precision of his shots were evident even then“.
Sunil Chhetri goals in his first season for Mohun Bagan (2002-03) were a noteworthy four, making a good impression. Injuries hampered him the following year, but he rebounded with a hat-trick in 2004-05, proving his talent. These early years set the foundation for India’s future star.
JCT FC
In 2005, he joined JCT on a free transfer. From that year, he got more exposure in his career. This young striker showed promise to JCT after a respectable 18-game tenure at Mohun Bagan, where he scored eight goals. Despite his insufficient three goals in his debut season, rumours of his skill started to circulate.
Chhetri’s breakthrough season was the 2006–07 campaign. With a stunning 12 goals, he helped JCT for the runners-up spot in the National Football League.
The inaugural season of the I-League in 2007-2008 saw Chhetri continue his impressive run. Though JCT finished third, his seven goals, including a brace against Salgaocar in the final match, cemented his status as a future star. In 2007, the prestigious AIFF Player of the Year title went to Sunil Chhetri for his continuous excellence.
A notable phase of progress occurred during Sunil Chhetri’s three years at JCT (2005-2008). Not only did he drive himself to national prominence with 22 goals in 48 games, but he also set the stage for a successful career that happened later.
East Bengal
Kolkata held a special place in Sunil Chhetri’s heart. During the 2008–09 season, he had a brief stint with East Bengal. He triumphed over Chirag United in his debut match, kicking off a promising campaign.
They lost the Federation Cup derby and were knocked out of the semifinals due to Chhetri’s missed penalty. Through out the season, Sunil Chhetri’s goals for East Bengal scored a total of nine across 17 matches. In the I-league, East Bengal finished in the 6th spot with 28 points.
At that time, he trailed to Coventry City. But he was not selected. At the same time, the MLS Club showed interest in him, but he rejected it.
Dempo SC
After getting released from East Bengal, Chhetri signed Dempo SC in a free transfer. Sunil showed his spark for Dempo SC in a short period.
In a prolific spell for Dempo SC, Sunil Chhetri amassed eight goals in just 13 matches.
This time, Dempo SC won the second I-league title and the fourth-time national league winner under Armando Colaco. The chapter about Dempo may have been brief, but it undeniably shaped Sunil Chhetri, the legend.
Kansas City Wizards
For Indian football, Sunil Chhetri’s 2010 entry into Major League Soccer was a landmark event. Though Chhetri’s tenure with the Kansas City Wizards (now Sporting Kansas City) was short, as the first Indian player, he joined the MLS team.
Despite not playing in an official MLS match, Chhetri left his mark in reserve games. He was even able to show off his skills in a friendly match against Manchester United!
Chirag United
Sunil Chhetri, who had received his International Transfer Certificate from Sporting Kansas City, joined Chirag United midway through the season to play for the rest of the I-league.
Sunil Chhetri bagged seven goals in his seven appearances for Chirag United. The club’s financial problems ultimately led to its dissolution the following year.
Mohun Bagan
Mohun Bagan announced on July 1, 2011, that Chhetri would return to the club in a free transfer. This time, he got his early days coach, Subrata Bhattacharya.
In the second innings of Mohun Bagan, Sunil Chhetri scored eight goals in 14 games. In the I-league, Mohun Bagan finished in the fourth spot.
Sporting CP B
Sunil Chhetri, another time, tried his luck in foreign. In 2012-13, he joined Sporting CP B team. He played three matches for them.
Churchill Brothers
In February 2013, he joined Churchill Brothers on loan from Sporting CP B after spending the seventh month for more game time. In 8 appearances, Sunil scored four goals for Churchill Brothers to help the champion of I-league 2012-13.
Bengaluru FC
In the 2015-16 season, he joined another fellow I-league club, Bengaluru FC. At that time, Bengaluru FC made a sensation in Indian football under Ashley Westwood.
In the I-league, Sunil Chhetri scored five goals to help to win the title for the second time for the Blues. Bengaluru FC also performed well and runners-up in the AFC Cup, with Sunil scoring five goals.
Mumbai City FC
In 2016, he joined Mumbai City FC on a loan deal. In his first season in the ISL, he played four matches and provided an assist. At the end of the loan period, he returned to Bengaluru FC.
Bengaluru FC
Sunil Chhetri returned to Bengaluru FC after a loan period from Mumbai City FC. He scored seven goals in the I-league and four goals in the AFC Cup in the 2016-17 season and reached Inter-Zone playoffs.
From 2017-18 seasons, Bengaluru FC played in the ISL(Indian Super League). Sunil was a phenomenon at that time. Sunil Chhetri scored 14 goals and two assists and became the highest Indian goal scorer.
Bengaluru FC legend Sunil Chhetri rose to fame. He led them to the Indian Super Cup in 2018 and the ISL championship in 2019, and he was their top scorer for three seasons running (2018–2021).
Along with signing a contract extension through 2023, he scored his 100th goal for the team in 2021. In 2022-23, he won the Durand Cup and runners-up in the ISL Cup and Indian Super Cup. The 2024-25 season will be the last in the football career.
National Team
From 2005 to 2024, Sunil Chhetri was a retired Indian professional football player who played forward for the Indian national team. Sunil Chhetri holds the record for the most goals (94) and appearances (151) for the Indian national team.
International Tournaments and the Early Career (2005-2011)
In 2005, Chhetri played his first international match against Pakistan and scored his first-ever goal in an International friendly match. In the 2007 Nehru Cup, he played in his first international competition.
He scored four goals to help India win the title. With a hat-trick against Tajikistan in the championship match, Chhetri was a major contributor to India’s win at the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup.
For the first time in 24 years, India’s victory secured their spot in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup. For the remainder of the 2000s, Chhetri represented India in competitions such as the Nehru Cup SAFF Championship and the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, scoring many goals for the team.
Captaincy and Breaking Records (2012–2021)
In 2012, Chhetri was appointed as the team captain for India. In the 2012 Nehru Cup, he was the leading scorer and captain of India. India qualified for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup after Chhetri led his team to a 13-match winning streak in 2017.
When it came to international goals, Chhetri’s best year was 2018. With eight goals, he topped the Intercontinental Cup in scoring and finished the year tied for second place among active international goal scorers, only behind Lionel Messi. During the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, Chhetri scored two goals against Thailand.
With 80 goals in 2021, Chhetri surpassed only Ali Daei of Iran as the second-highest Asian international goal scorer. In addition, he rose to become the third-highest goal scorer for his country behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Retirement and Later Years (2022-2024)
In 2022, Chhetri was sidelined by injuries from several games. But in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, he found his form again leading the team in goals scored with four. In 2023, he maintained his strong goal-scoring streak by leading India to victory in the Hero Intercontinental Cup and recording a hat-trick in the SAFF Championship.
With this hat-trick, Chhetri surpassed Mokhtar Daharis’s record of 89 goals to become the second-highest Asian goal scorer in history. In May 2024, Chhetri declared his retirement from international football, and in June of the same year, he played a World Cup qualification match as his final game for India against Kuwait at Kolkata.
Sunil Chhetri Achievements
- AIFF Player of the Year 7 times: 2007, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018–19, 2021–22
- FPAI Indian Player of the Year 3 times: 2009, 2018, 2019
- SAFF Championship Winner 4 times: 2011, 2015, 2021, 2023
- SAFF Championship Top Scorer 3 times: 2011, 2021, 2023
- AFC CHALLENGE CUP Winner: 2008
- Hero Intercontinental Cup Winner: 2018, 2023
- Hero I-League Winner: 2013, 2014, 2016–17
- I-League Golden Boot: 2013–14
- Hero Indian Super League Winner: 2018-2019
- Federation Cup Winner: 2017
- Indian Super Cup Winner: 2017-18
- Durand Cup Winner: 2022-2023
- Indian Sports Honours: Sportsman of the Year 2019 (team sports)
- Football Ratna Award (first recipient) by Football Delhi in 2019
- In 2011, he received the Arjuna Award from the Government of India in recognition of his outstanding achievement in sports.
- He got Padma Shri in 2019, India’s fourth-highest civilian award.
- In 2021, he got the Khel Ratna Award, the highest sporting honour of India.
Last Words
A career for Sunil Chhetri is more than just a stack of objectives and medals—it’s a revolution. He changed Indian football from being a spectator sport to a passionate one.
Chhetri’s unwavering dedication to the field and relentless work ethic inspired a generation of people turning him from a young boy with a dream into a national icon. He inspired faith in his teammates and supporters by setting a good example and being a vocal leader.
As Bengaluru FC teammate Gurpreet Singh Sandhu said, “Sunil never gives up. He pushes everyone around him to be better, both on and off the pitch.” The impact of Chhetri continues long after the last whistle. For all aspiring Indian football players, he is a role model, an inspiration and a monument to perseverance.
His tale serves as a reminder that anything is possible if one is committed and passionate about it. We appreciate you taking the time to read what we have to say. You seem to have found it, in our opinion.
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My name is Krishanu Das the founder of the Sports Dribble.
I am Accountant by profession but a Sports Blogger by passion.
I am passionate about sharing my all knowledge and experiences of sports, with my readers and every sports enthusiast.
