TOP 10 LESSER- KNOWN FACTS ABOUT SUNIL CHHETRI
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TOP 10 LESSER- KNOWN FACTS ABOUT SUNIL CHHETRI
Certainly one of the greatest Indian footballers of all time, Sunil Chhetri is the third-highest international goalscorer among all active players, only behind Cristano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. He is India’s all-time top goal-scorer, and also the joint fifth-highest goal-scorer of all time in the world, Sunil Chhetri is a recipient of several remarkable and prestigious awards including the Arjuna Award which is India’s second-highest sporting honour, the Padma Shri which is India's fourth highest civilian award and the Khel Ratna Award which happens to be India's highest sporting honour. He is also the first footballer to have received the Khel Ratna award in the history of India.
As a mark of recognising and celebrating the 38-year-old's achievements, Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) has been pleased to have released a three-episode documentary titled Captain Fantastic which is based on his illustrious career. It's available on FIFA+.
Sunil Chhetri is an Indian professional footballer and the captain of the Indian national football team. Here are ten lesser-known facts about him:
1. Early Years: Sunil Chhetri was born on August 3, 1984, in Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh (now in Telangana), India.
2. Footballing Family: His father played for the Indian Army's football team, and his mother played for the Nepal women's national football team.
3. Football in School: Chhetri attended the Army Public School in New Delhi, where he began playing football at a young age.
4. First International Goal: He scored his first international goal for India against Pakistan in the 2005 South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship.
5. European Stint: Sunil Chhetri had a brief stint with Sporting Lisbon B, a reserve team of Sporting Lisbon, in Portugal in 2012. However, he returned to India after a short period.
6. Record Goal-Scorer: Sunil Chhetri is the all-time leading goal-scorer for the Indian national football team. He surpassed the previous record held by Bhaichung Bhutia.
7. Awards and Honors: Chhetri has received numerous awards, including the Arjuna Award (2011), Padma Shri (2019), Khel Ratna Award (2021), and the AIFF Player of the Year multiple times.
8. Twitter Request for Support: In 2018, Chhetri made a heartfelt video appeal on Twitter, urging fans to support Indian football by attending matches. The video went viral and garnered massive support for the sport.
9. Humility and Leadership: Chhetri is known for his humility and leadership on and off the field. He is respected not only for his goal-scoring prowess but also for his dedication to the development of football in India.
10. Off the Field: Beyond football, Sunil Chhetri is actively involved in philanthropy and social causes. He has been an advocate for various initiatives promoting the growth of football at the grassroots level.
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