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Sunil Chhetru is a professional Indian footballer who plays as a forward. He was born on August 3, 1984. He is known for his goal scoring abilities, kink up play and leadership on the field. He is the most capped player and an all time goal scorer for the Indian National Team.
He has made 150 appearances so far and gathered 94 goals to his name. He has been a part of teams like the Kansas City Wizards in the USA and Sporting CP B in Portugal. Chhetri has been a star in Indian football and has led the national team and won the SAFF championship many times.
He also played an important role in the 2008 AFC Asian Cup at the age of 27. However, he sadly retired from international football on June 6, 2024.
Sunil Chhetri Net Worth 2024 & Family Information
Chhetri’s net worth is believed to be approximately $ 1 million. He collected this wealth from earnings from football matches, brand endorsements and other ventures.
| Name | Sunil Chhetri |
|---|---|
| Net Worth in 2024 (as of now) | $ 1 million US, approx |
| Net Worth in 2024 in rupees | ₹ 8.5 crore, approx |
| Profession | Professional Footballer |
| Sources of income | Football match earnings, endorsements and other ventures. |
Sunil Chhetri Family Background
Sunil Chhetri belongs to a family with a sports and military background. His father, KB Chhetri, is a retired police officer in the Indian Army and his mother, Shishila Chhetri, played for the Nepal Women national football team along with her twin sister. He is married to Sonam Bhattacherjee and has a son, Dhruv.
| Family Member | Name | Background | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Father | KB Chhetri | Retired officer from the Indian Army | Officer in the Indian Army |
| Mother | Sushila Chhetri | Played for Nepal women’s national football team | Housewife |
| Sister | Bandana Chhetri | N/A | N/A |
| Wife | Sonam Bhattacharya | Daughter of former Indian international and Mohun Bagan player Subrata Bhattacharya | N/A |
| Son | Dhruv | Born on August 30, 2023 | N/A |
Sunil Chhetri Early Life
Sunil Chhetri has been passionate about football since his childhood . He has had a supportive family that has encouraged his career and aspirations to be a footballer. His childhood has been filled with frequent moves to different places due to his father’s military career. He spent a fair amount of his time in New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.
He began playing football during his school days and he had a promising career in it. Chhtri’s career in football began at Mohun Began in 2002 and he soon made his name in the Indian football league.
Sunil Chhetri Education
He completed his schooling at a local school, Bahai School, in Sikkim. He pursued his higher education at Asutosg College, affiliated with Kolkata. Additionally, he also enrolled himself in the Global Master’s program in sports management and legal skills at ISDE Law Business School to prepare for life after football.
Sunil Chhetri Wife: Sonam Bhattacherjee
Sunil Chhetri is married to a woman named Sonam Chatterjee. She is an entrepreneur and a pillar of strength and support for Sunil. The couple tied the knot on December 4’ 2017. She is the daughter of Subrata Bhattacharya, who is a footballer and football manager.
Sonam has a background in science. She has completed her master of science degree from Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, Scotland. The pair have been together for 8 years and are going strong.
Sunil Chhetri Son: Dhruv Chhetri
Sunil and Sonam have a son named Dhruv. He was born on August 20, 2023, and will turn 2024. The couple is often seen sharing pictures of him on social media, showing their immense love for the little boy.
Sunil Chhetri Career
The main events that shaped Chhetri’s career are below:
| Season | Club | Goals | Notable Performances | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-02 | City Club | 1 | – | Began his career with City Club in Delhi, scored a goal in the 2002 Durand Cup where he was named one of the five promising players of the tournament |
| 2002-03 | Mohun Bagan | 4 | – | Signed his first professional contract with Mohun Bagan after a trial, scored 4 goals as Mohun Bagan finished 7th |
| 2003-04 | Mohun Bagan | 2 | – | Scored against Sporting Goa and Indian Bank as Mohun Bagan finished 9th |
| 2004-05 | Mohun Bagan | 1 | Hattrick against Tollygunge Agragami | Scored a hattrick as a substitute in a 4-0 win, Mohun Bagan finished 8th |
| 2005-06 | JCT | 3 | – | Scored twice against Salgaocar and once against Sporting Goa as JCT finished 6th, also scored 2 hattricks for Delhi in the Santosh Trophy group stages before they were eliminated in the pre-quarters |
| 2006-07 | JCT | 12 | – | Scored 12 goals as JCT finished 2nd, including braces against former club Mohun Bagan and champions Dempo |
| 2007-08 | JCT | 7 | – | Made his I-League debut, scored 7 goals as JCT finished 3rd, his only brace came against Salgaocar in the final match, named AIFF Player of the Year for 2007 |
| 2008-09 | East Bengal | 1 | – | Scored on debut against Chirag United, scored the winner against JCT in the Federation Cup semis but missed the decisive penalty in the shootout loss to Mohun Bagan |
| 2009-10 | Dempo | – | – | Signed a two-year contract with a clause allowing trials abroad, scored a penalty on debut against Air India |
| 2010 | Kansas City Wizards | – | – | First Indian to play in MLS, scored a hattrick for reserves, made his debut in a U.S. Open Cup match |
| 2010-11 | Chirag United | 2 | – | Scored against Dempo and a brace against ONGC |
| 2011-12 | Mohun Bagan | 2 | – | Rejoined Mohun Bagan, scored twice in a 5-1 win over Mumbai FC on his return |
| 2012-13 | Sporting CP B | – | – | Signed a two-year deal with Sporting CP B, made his debut in a Segunda Liga match |
| 2012-13 | Churchill Brothers | 4 | – | Loaned to Churchill Brothers, scored 4 goals in 8 matches as they won the I-League title |
| 2013-14 | Bengaluru FC | 14 | – | Signed for Bengaluru FC, scored 14 goals and 7 assists as they won the I-League in their debut season |
| 2014-15 | Bengaluru FC | 6 | – | Scored 6 goals to help Bengaluru FC win the Federation Cup, scored a brace against Salgaocar in the group stage |
| 2015 | Mumbai City | 6 | Hattrick against NorthEast United | Became the most expensive Indian player at the ISL auctions, scored 7 goals to be Mumbai’s top scorer including a hattrick against NorthEast United |
| 2016-17 | Bengaluru FC | 5 | – | Loaned to Bengaluru FC, scored 5 goals as they won the I-League title, also scored twice in the AFC Cup round of 16 as Bengaluru reached the quarters for the first time |
| 2017-18 | Bengaluru FC | 4 | – | Signed a one-year deal with Bengaluru, scored 4 goals as they won the Super Cup |
| 2018-19 | Bengaluru FC | 3 | – | Scored 14 goals, the most by an Indian in the ISL season, as Bengaluru won the title |
| 2019-20 | Bengaluru FC | 2 | – | Bengaluru’s top scorer with 9 goals as they won the ISL |
| 2020-21 | Bengaluru FC | 1 | – | Bengaluru’s top scorer for 3 straight seasons, scored 8 goals, became the first to make 200 appearances for the club, scored his 100th goal for them |
| 2021-22 | Bengaluru FC | 3 | – | Signed a 2-year contract extension until 2023 |
| 2022-23 | Bengaluru FC | 2 | – | Won the Durand Cup with Bengaluru |
| 2023-24 | Bengaluru FC | 1 | – | – |
Awards and Achievements of Sunil Chhetri
Chhetri has had several awards and achievements in the past. Let’s take a deeper look:
| Award | Year | Description |
|---|---|---|
| AIFF Player of the Year | 2007, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2019 | He was awarded a record 7 times for his outstanding performances in the Indian football league |
| SAFF Championship Player of the Tournament | 2011, 2015, 2021 | Awarded three times for his exceptional performances in the SAFF Championship |
| SAFF Championship Top Scorer | 2011, 2021, 2023 | Awarded three times for scoring the most goals in the SAFF Championship |
| FPAI Indian Player of the Year | 2009, 2018 | Awarded twice for his outstanding performances in the Indian football league |
| AFC Challenge Cup Most Valuable Player | 2008 | Awarded for his exceptional performance in the AFC Challenge Cup |
| Arjuna Award | 2011 | Awarded for outstanding performance in sports |
| Padma Shri | 2019 | India’s fourth-highest civilian award for his contributions to Indian football |
| Khel Ratna | 2021 | India’s highest sporting honor for his outstanding achievements in football |
Sunil Chhetri Sources of Income
Sunil Chhetri’s sources of income are below:
| Source | Estimated Annual Earnings (INR) | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Football Salary | 1.5 crore | Salary earned from his contract with Bengaluru FC |
| Endorsements | 5 crore | Significant portion of earnings comes from endorsing various products or services. He has endorsement deals with brands such as Puma, Pepsi, Tata Motors, and Iodex. |
| Business Ventures | 2 crore | Twelfth Man: In 2020, he became the face of the Twelfth Man fantasy football game.• ACwO: He’s connected with ACwO, a brand that makes audio equipment like headphones.• Pintola Peanut Butter: He endorses Pintola Peanut Butter, which is a healthy food product. • VuSport: He’s involved with VuSport, a service that streams sports events.• Acer India: He also works with Acer India, a big company that sells computers and electronics. |
Sunil Chhetri has been one of the best football players in Indian football history. His hard work and dedication towards the sport have earned him an appreciation for the sport.
His performances have earned him a lot of awards for his contribution. His retirement is a sad news for his fans and the Indian Football Board. His retirement would lead to the end of an era of indian football in 2024.
FAQs
Q. When did Sunil Chhetri start his football career?
Sunil Chhetri made his football debut in 2002.
Q. How many goals has Sunil Chhetri scored for India?
Sunil Chhetri made 94 goals for India.
Q. When did Sunil Chhetri retire from football?
Sunil Chhetri retired from football on June 6, 2024.
Q. How old is Sunil Chhetri?
Sunil Chhetri will turn 40 years old in 2024.
