Cricket is considered a religion in India. Football is no exception to the rule that cricket often eclipses all other sports played in India. Sunil Chhetri, the captain of the Indian national team, brings fame and glory to the country by becoming the third-highest active scorer in the FIFA rankings, in a place like India where football is not much discussed.
The top three active international goal scorers were recently featured in a photo posted on social media by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA). Sunil Chhetri, the captain of the Indian national team, is the third-highest active international goal scorer behind Lionel Messi of Argentina, who is in second place with 90 goals, and Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, who is first with 117 goals, according to FIFA rankings.
This is something all Indians can be very proud of. With 84 goals for India, Sunil Chhetri is third on the international goal scorer list.
According to FIFA, the main motive for publishing the picture was to promote Captain Fantastic Sunil Chhetri, a player featured in FIFA Plus. Since everyone is familiar with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, this was the main target of the photo.
The three-part series on the Indian captain, produced by FIFA as part of their original production, is available to fans through FIFA Plus. The first, second, and third episodes of the “Captain Fantastic” series are titled “Kick Off,” “Mid Game,” and “Extra Time,” respectively.
The series is about the life and football career of Sunil Chhetri and includes some scenes from Delhi, where his parents reside, as well as some scenes from Bengaluru, where he lives with his family. Given that India is yet to achieve its goal of reaching the FIFA World Cup, this award is one of the biggest for the national team captain. It is expected that recognition of this kind by the International Football Federation will give Indian football the attention it needs.
Sunil Chhetri equalled Ferenc Puskas’ record of 84 international goals in an AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Hong Kong on June 14, 2022. Tottenham Hotspur, the two-time English Premier League champions, congratulated Chhetri on his achievement via their Twitter account.
The Background of Sunil Chhetri
Chhetri was born in Secunderabad on August 3, 1984. He is the most successful goal-scorer in Indian football history so far. He started playing for Mohun Bagan Athletic Club in 2002, which marked the beginning of his professional career. In 2005, he represented JCT FC.
He also played for the American football club Kansas City in 2010. In the 2015 Indian Super League auctions, he was purchased by Mumbai FC for Rs. 1.2 crore, making him the most expensive player of the season. Currently, apart from the national team, he also plays for Bengaluru FC.
Though Sunil Chhetri has made a significant contribution to Indian football, it is still debatable whether footballers are accorded the same respect and affection as cricketers. If one compares cricketers with other sportsmen, there is still a huge discrepancy in the facilities provided to the latter. Undoubtedly, cricket brings in the most revenue for the nation, making the BCCI the richest cricket association in the world.
However, the public’s enthusiasm for the sport continues to be the driving force for revenue, and so it is hoped that Indian football will one day attract a similar audience. Leaders are desperately needed, but unfortunately, the current situation seems to be just the opposite.
The Controversy
Bengaluru FC won the last Durand Cup and defeated Mumbai FC in the championship match. Chhetri, the captain of Bengaluru FC, was asked to receive the trophy at the presentation ceremony. La Ganeshan, the Governor of Manipur and West Bengal, pushed Chhetri’s hand away from the trophy when he tried to take a photograph with her because he felt Chhetri was obstructing the shot.
Since the governor’s behaviour towards the Indian captain was unpleasant, this footage caused a lot of trouble. But Chhetri’s cool demeanour earned him more admiration from his supporters.
