At the start of every Indian football season in recent years, one question always comes up: “Has Sunil Chhetri lost some of his mojo? Has he lost a step or two?”
Once the action begins, the answer — a resounding ‘no’ — becomes all too apparent. Instead of giving up bits and pieces of his game to Father Time, Chhetri has gotten fitter, faster and more effective.
At 33, Chhetri has no threat to his position as the best Indian footballer. After a spectacular hat-trick on Sunday, which carried Bengaluru FC (BFC) past a tough FC Pune City and into the ISL final, the debate around his legacy raged on.
“Sunil is the best player in Indian football history,” Pune coach Ranko Popovic stated. It is a big claim, but not one without merit.
The BFC skipper is India’s all-time highest goal-scorer in international fixtures. He is also the all-time highest goal-scorer in the domestic league among Indians. And the goals just keep coming. In the ongoing ISL season, Chhetri sits fifth on the league’s charts with 13 goals.
The tally is all the more impressive when you consider that Chhetri does his fair share of marking and defensive work.
This demanding role change — from his days as an all-out forward — was introduced by Ashley Westwood, who was BFC’s head coach when Chhetri joined the club’s inaugural 2013-14 season.
Bonding with BFC
Chhetri often talks about his love for BFC and the club’s fans, describing it as a match made in heaven.
“Everything about this club is special. Johnno (John Johnson) and I have been here from when the first brick was laid. It gives us immense pride to see where the club is going.
“We feel for BFC, and the club feels the same way about us. We feel at home here; we feel attached and loved.
“The owners, the fans, the ball-boys — people are very affectionate here. I hope I can play for 10 more years here, until I retire,” Chhetri had stated in a chat with The Hindu earlier this season.
The journey
Chhetri has come a long way since his days as a teenager with City FC, an amateur club in New Delhi.
“I’m totally blessed. I would say I’m living a dream, but this is beyond any dream.
“At 17, when I was playing for City FC, if God gave me a pen and a piece of paper, and asked me to write what I wanted for my future...I wouldn’t have been able to come up with this.”
