Sunil Chetri
Encyclopedia
Sunil Chhetri is a Indian footballer who currently plays for Mohun Bagan A.C. in the I-League
.
Chhetri started his football career playing for school teams and then for his local club, City Club. Since then, he has represented I-League
clubs Mohun Bagan, East Bengal Club
and JCT FC. At Mohun Bagan, he scored eight goals over three seasons where the club finished in the bottom half of the league table every time. The next three seasons were spent at JCT where he scored a total of twenty goals including twelve goals in a single season where JCT finished second in the league. This earned him the league's "Player of the Year" award. Afterwards he played for East Bengal and scored seven goals in a season where they finished sixth. For the 2009–10 season, he signed with Dempo SC on a two-year contract. Sunil had signed a three-year contract with Queen's Park Rangers in August 2009. But a work permit was rejected by the UK government.
At international level, Chhetri has represented India
in the Nehru Cup, the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship
and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup
. He received much media attention after scoring a hat-trick
in the final of the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup
, which led to an unsuccessful trial at English club Coventry City
and speculation linking him with many European and North American clubs. In addition, Chhetri has received awards such as the 2007 All India Football Federation (AIFF)
Player of the Year.
but abandoned it in Class XII to don the India colours at the Asian School Championship in Kuala Lumpur in October 2001. He is Nepali by ethnicity and plays in the Forward position and is known for his high work rate, ball control and shooting. Chettri has often said he would have loved to play for Nepal because of his ethnic background.Chetri started his football career with the Delhi based City Club. Since then, he has represented Mohun Bagan, JCT FC and Major League Soccer
side Sporting Kansas City. For the current season, he has signed with Mohun Bagan AC. He was selected the AIFF Player of the Year 2007 for his excellent performances for his club and country.
, Chhetri scored four goals in a season where Mohun Bagan finished in seventh place. In the next season
, Chhetri scored two goals and these came against SC Goa and bottom-placed Indian Bank
as Mohun Bagan once again finished in the bottom half of the table, in ninth place. Chhetri once again scored two goals in the 2004–05 season
; this time Mohun Bagan finished eighth in the league and remained in the National Football League
(NFL) on goal difference
. In the Santosh Trophy
, where he played for Delhi, Chhetri managed to score seven goals in the whole tournament including four in a match against Gujarat.
. That season, Chhetri scored two goals in all competitions, one against Salgaocar and the other against SC Goa, with JCT finishing sixth in the league. After his game against the Brazilian club São Paulo FC in the Super Soccer Series in 2007, comparisons were drawn with fellow Indian striker Baichung Bhutia
. He also scored two hat-tricks for Delhi in the group stages of the 61st Santosh Trophy against Orissa and Railways. Delhi were eliminated in the pre-quarter-final playoffs, however, after losing 1–0 to Tamil Nadu in extra time.
At the end of the 2006–07 season
(the last NFL before it became the I-League
), Chhetri was awarded the league's "Player of the Year" award as well as the best forward award. He scored a total of twelve goals in the league as JCT finished second behind Dempo SC. His twelve goals included two which came in a 2–0 win against Mohun Bagan and another double in a 3–2 win against Dempo SC. In the first I–League season
, Chhetri scored seven goals as JCT finished in third place. That season, his solitary double was against Salgaocar in the last game of the season. He was selected as the AIFF Player of the Year 2007 for his excellent performances for his club and country. In October 2008 he sparked interest overseas from clubs Estoril Praia of the Portuguese second division, Liga de Honra
, and Leeds United of the English League One. Although there had been no deal agreed with Leeds, Chhetri spoke in an interview saying, "Nothing has been confirmed as yet but yes, I think I am close to getting there," however a deal never materialised and he instead moved to East Bengal Club.
, he signed with East Bengal Club
. He scored on his debut against Chirag United on 26 September 2008 with a goal in the 28th minute to win the man of the match
award. Chhetri scored a crucial goal in the 30th Federation Cup
in a 1–0 win against his former club JCT, which almost assured East Bengal of a place in the semi-finals. In the semi-final against arch rivals Mohun Bagan, things were much different for Chhetri as he missed the decisive penalty
in the penalty shootout as East Bengal were knocked out of the competition. Newspaper reports suggested that a few Major League Soccer
(MLS) clubs, rumoured to be Los Angeles Galaxy
and DC United, were interested in the Indian striker along with his team mate Steven Dias
. On 25 January 2009, he arrived in England to start a trial with Coventry City, rejecting the contract from the MLS. Coventry City manager
Chris Coleman
announced four days later that they would not be following their interest in the Indian international. Roughly four months later, on 20 May 2009, Chhetri said that he would again be going to Coventry City on an extended trial of 15 days in June 2009. He finished the season with seven goals helping East Bengal finish sixth place in the league.
On 7 August, the Scottish club Celtic
were linked with a move to sign Chhetri. Celtic had him watched during the pre-season friendly with Santboià
, a third division Spanish club. The player's agent, Yogesh Joshee was quoted as saying, "I'm waiting to get feedback from Celtic, who saw him on Monday by head scout and then another scout came to watch game, I'll let you know the outcome when I know." The Hindustan Times
stated in an article on 30 August that Chhetri had signed a three-year contract with English club Queens Park Rangers, but the British government denied him a work permit. According to an article on the Football Players’ Association of India's official website, Chhetri was denied a work permit because India were not in the top 70 of the FIFA World Rankings
. Chhetri remained positive: "But it's not the end of the world. I will still continue to work hard for my country and my club Dempo, who have been very supportive."
He was informed by his agent that it was rejected by the UK government since India is not in the top 70 in the FIFA ranking and the British government only permits non-EU players if the player is playing for the country and the country is ranked below 70 in FIFA ranking.
club Kansas City Wizards
throughout March 2010, competing during their pre-season games. He became the first Indian to represent a Major League Soccer
club when he formally signed for the team on 24 March 2010. Peter Vermes
, the manager, was quoted saying "One thing we really like about Sunil is that he's a crafty player. Technically he's very sharp, and he's a guy that has good attacking tendencies." His first game was in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
qualification play-in game against Colorado Rapids
, which ended on a sad note as his team was knocked out and he ended up with a yellow card and was substituted at half time. He did not make any appearances in any league matches in the 2010 Major League Soccer season
. It was announced that Chhetri would make his second appearance for the club in a friendly versus Manchester United which caused controversy as he had yet to appear with the club in league play. He was substituted into the game in the 69th minute, which the Wizards won despite being down to 10 men. The next day Chettri was released for the rest of the season to the Indian national team until the end of the 2011 AFC Asian Cup
. On February 5 Sporting Kansas reported that Chhetri has officially left the team.
's club United Sikkim FC
, Sunil decided to sign a contract with Kolkata
club United Sports Club until the end of the season. It was announced on February 10, 2011 that Chhetri has signed for Chirag United SC. On February 20, 2011 Chhetri played his first game for United Sports Club in the I-League
against Salgaocar SC coming on in the 58th minute, the match ended 4-1 in Salgaocar SC favor.
club Mohun Bagan that Chhetri has signed a one-year deal with the club. He scored his first goal for Bagan on September 21, 2011 against Churchill Brothers. Even though Bagan tied the match, they were still eliminated from the 2011 Indian Federation Cup
. He then scored his first two goals for Bagan against Mumbai and then against Churchill Brothers on November 10, 2011. Until now, he has scored 4 goals in 8 matches.
in the 2004 SAF Games
in Pakistan. He scored his first international goal against Pakistan
on 12 June 2005.
Chhetri's first international tournament was the 2007 Nehru Cup
. In the opening game, India defeated Cambodia
6–0 with Chhetri scoring two goals. He also scored a goal in the 2–3 defeat to Syria
and another in the 3–0 win over Kyrgyzstan
to take his goal tally to four. Chhetri was involved in the build-up to N.P. Pradeep's decisive goal as India beat Syria
1–0 in the final to become the first champions of the tournament since 1997. Later in 2007, India began their 2010 FIFA World Cup
qualification campaign. They were knocked out in the first round
by Lebanon
with Chhetri scoring once in the away leg (a 4–1 defeat) and once in the home leg (a 2–2 draw) resulting in a 6–3 aggregate defeat.
The 2008 SAFF Championship
started with three victories out of a possible three in the group stages. In the opening game, Chhetri scored a goal in a 4–0 victory over Nepal
. He scored once more in the championship—in the 2–1 semi-final victory over Bhutan
; this was an equaliser before Gouramangi Singh
scored India's second goal to send India through to the final. India lost 1–0 to the Maldives
in the final and Chhetri played for the full 90 minutes. Later that year, in the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup
, Chhetri played in all of the matches and scored four goals. In the 1–0 win over Afghanistan
, he was involved in the build-up to Climax Lawrence
's goal. He also played for the full 90 minutes against Tajikistan
(a 1–1 draw) and Turkmenistan
(a 2–1 win). In the semi-final against Myanmar
, Chhetri scored the only goal in a 1–0 victory after being assisted by Baichung Bhutia to see India through to the final. In the final against Tajikistan, Chhetri scored a hat-trick
which enabled India to win the Cup. This automatically qualified India for the 2011 Asian Cup, the first time they had qualified for the tournament in 24 years. His first goal was originally disallowed for offside by Uzbek
referee Valentin Kovalenko, who changed his mind after consulting his assistant
. Hundreds of fans waited outside the stadium to greet India's new "poster boy
" and India manager Bob Houghton stated, "He is remarkable, brave and honest. He never gives up."
Initially, Goal.com
stated that Chhetri would miss the 2009 Nehru Cup through injury. He played in the tournament, however, and he scored in the second match of the Nehru Cup, a penalty in a 2–1 win over Kyrgyzstan, this being first time he had completed a full match since getting injured before the pre-season tour of Spain with his club. He featured in the other three games in the round robin
stage of the tournament, including the "" for the final against Syria, but did not score. Chhetri was one of India's scorers in the penalty shootout victory over Syria in the final after the match had ended in a 1–1 draw. He showed flashes of brilliance and scored the second goal in a 5-2 defeat at the hands of Bahrain in the 2011 Asian Cup.He also scored a goal against Asian powerhouse South Korea
at the 2011 AFC Asian Cup
.
He was named the national team Captain for the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualification
which took place in Malaysia.On November 16 2011 Chhetri scored in the 39th and 53rd minute for India against Malaysia in a Friendly played at the Salt Lake Stadium. The match ended 3-2 in favor of India.
I-League
The I-League is an Indian football league for association football clubs. At the top of the Indian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 14 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation of two teams each year with the I-League 2nd Division...
.
Chhetri started his football career playing for school teams and then for his local club, City Club. Since then, he has represented I-League
I-League
The I-League is an Indian football league for association football clubs. At the top of the Indian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 14 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation of two teams each year with the I-League 2nd Division...
clubs Mohun Bagan, East Bengal Club
East Bengal Club
Kingfisher East Bengal Football Club are an Indian professional football club based at Kolkata. They are known to be one of the best footballing sides in India. They have won the most IFA Shields in Indian Football and are tied for the most National Football League and Durand Cup championships with...
and JCT FC. At Mohun Bagan, he scored eight goals over three seasons where the club finished in the bottom half of the league table every time. The next three seasons were spent at JCT where he scored a total of twenty goals including twelve goals in a single season where JCT finished second in the league. This earned him the league's "Player of the Year" award. Afterwards he played for East Bengal and scored seven goals in a season where they finished sixth. For the 2009–10 season, he signed with Dempo SC on a two-year contract. Sunil had signed a three-year contract with Queen's Park Rangers in August 2009. But a work permit was rejected by the UK government.
At international level, Chhetri has represented India
India national football team
The Indian national football team is the national football team of India and is governed by the All India Football Federation. It is a member of the Asian Football Confederation. Since 1948, the AIFF has been affiliated with FIFA, the international governing body for football. In 1954, AIFF became...
in the Nehru Cup, the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Championship
SAFF Championship
The SAFF Championship, also called the South Asian Football Federation Cup , is the main football competition of the men's national football teams governed by the South Asian Football Federation. Previous names have included the South Asian Association of Regional Co-operation Gold Cup in 1993 and...
and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Challenge Cup
AFC Challenge Cup
The AFC Challenge Cup is an international football competition for emerging nations that are members of the Asian Football Confederation. The first tournament was hosted by Bangladesh in 2006...
. He received much media attention after scoring a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
in the final of the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup
2008 AFC Challenge Cup
The 2008 AFC Challenge Cup football tournament was hosted by India and played from July 30 to August 13, 2008. India won the final against Tajikistan...
, which led to an unsuccessful trial at English club Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
and speculation linking him with many European and North American clubs. In addition, Chhetri has received awards such as the 2007 All India Football Federation (AIFF)
All India Football Federation
The All India Football Federation is the organisation which manages the game of association football in India. It administers the running of the India national football team and also controls the I-League, India's premier domestic club competition, in addition to various other competitions and...
Player of the Year.
Early life
He was born to KB Chhetri of the Corps of EME and Sushila Chhetri, the youngster had to frequently change schools, from Bahai School in Gangtok to Bethany's in Darjeeling, and from Loyola School in Kolkata to the Army Public School in New Delhi. He later joined Asutosh College an affiliate of the University of CalcuttaUniversity of Calcutta
The University of Calcutta is a public university located in the city of Kolkata , India, founded on 24 January 1857...
but abandoned it in Class XII to don the India colours at the Asian School Championship in Kuala Lumpur in October 2001. He is Nepali by ethnicity and plays in the Forward position and is known for his high work rate, ball control and shooting. Chettri has often said he would have loved to play for Nepal because of his ethnic background.Chetri started his football career with the Delhi based City Club. Since then, he has represented Mohun Bagan, JCT FC and Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
side Sporting Kansas City. For the current season, he has signed with Mohun Bagan AC. He was selected the AIFF Player of the Year 2007 for his excellent performances for his club and country.
Club career
After starting his career for the Delhi-based City Club, Chhetri transferred to Mohun Bagan and remained there for three seasons. In his first season, the 2002–03 seasonNational Football League 2002-03 (India)
Statistics of National Football League in season 2002/2003.-Overview:It was performed in 12 teams, and Kingfisher East Bengal won the championship under the coach Subhas Bhowmick and this was their Second title. Salgaonkar came second and Vasco again came third...
, Chhetri scored four goals in a season where Mohun Bagan finished in seventh place. In the next season
National Football League 2003-04 (India)
Statistics of National Football League in season 2003/2004.-Overview:It was performed in 12 teams, and Kingfisher East Bengal won the championship under the coach Subhas Bhowmick. Dempo came second and Mahindra came third. Indian Bank and Mohammedan were relegated from the National Football League...
, Chhetri scored two goals and these came against SC Goa and bottom-placed Indian Bank
Indian Bank Recreational Club
Indian Bank Recreational Club, also known as FC Indian Bank, is an Indian association football club from Chennai. The club formerly participated in the 2nd Division of the I-League and the Chennai Super Division Football League. The club is managed by former India international, Syed Sabir Pasha....
as Mohun Bagan once again finished in the bottom half of the table, in ninth place. Chhetri once again scored two goals in the 2004–05 season
National Football League 2004-05 (India)
Statistics of National Football League in season 2004/2005.-Overview:It was performed in 12 teams, and Dempo won the championship under the coach Armando Colaco. This was their first title. Sporting Clube de Goa came second and Kingfisher East Bengal came third...
; this time Mohun Bagan finished eighth in the league and remained in the National Football League
National Football League (India)
The National Football League was an association football league competition in India between 1996 and 2007 which was organised into three divisions. The league is now transformed into the I-League and continues with that name...
(NFL) on goal difference
Goal difference
In sports such as ice hockey and association football, goal difference is often the first tiebreaker used to rank teams which finish a league competition with an equal number of points....
. In the Santosh Trophy
Santosh Trophy
Santosh Trophy is an annual Indian football tournament which is contested by states and government institutions. The first winners were Bengal, who also lead the all-time winners list with 31 titles till date....
, where he played for Delhi, Chhetri managed to score seven goals in the whole tournament including four in a match against Gujarat.
JCT
Subsequently, he moved to JCT FC (then known as JCT Mills) for the 2005–06 seasonNational Football League 2005-06 (India)
-Overview:It was performed in 10 teams, and Mahindra United won the championship under the coach Derrick Pereira and this was their first title. Kingfisher East Bengal came second while Mohun Bagan came as third. Fransa Pax and Salgaocar were relegated from the National Football League...
. That season, Chhetri scored two goals in all competitions, one against Salgaocar and the other against SC Goa, with JCT finishing sixth in the league. After his game against the Brazilian club São Paulo FC in the Super Soccer Series in 2007, comparisons were drawn with fellow Indian striker Baichung Bhutia
Baichung Bhutia
Baichung Bhutia is an ex Indian footballer. He is currently contracted by the club he owns, United Sikkim. He is considered to be the torchbearer of Indian football in the international arena. He plays for United Sikkim FC. He is often nicknamed the Sikkimese Sniper because of his shooting skills...
. He also scored two hat-tricks for Delhi in the group stages of the 61st Santosh Trophy against Orissa and Railways. Delhi were eliminated in the pre-quarter-final playoffs, however, after losing 1–0 to Tamil Nadu in extra time.
At the end of the 2006–07 season
National Football League 2006-07 (India)
Statistics of National Football League in season 2006/2007.-Overview:It was performed in 10 teams, and Dempo won the championship under the coach Armando Colaco. It was their Second title. JCT came second and Mahindra came third...
(the last NFL before it became the I-League
I-League
The I-League is an Indian football league for association football clubs. At the top of the Indian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 14 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation of two teams each year with the I-League 2nd Division...
), Chhetri was awarded the league's "Player of the Year" award as well as the best forward award. He scored a total of twelve goals in the league as JCT finished second behind Dempo SC. His twelve goals included two which came in a 2–0 win against Mohun Bagan and another double in a 3–2 win against Dempo SC. In the first I–League season
I-League 2007-08
The I-League season 2007-08 kicked off on 24 November 2007 at the Fatorda Stadium, Margao, Goa. The first match of the season was played between the two Goan clubs Dempo and Salgaocar....
, Chhetri scored seven goals as JCT finished in third place. That season, his solitary double was against Salgaocar in the last game of the season. He was selected as the AIFF Player of the Year 2007 for his excellent performances for his club and country. In October 2008 he sparked interest overseas from clubs Estoril Praia of the Portuguese second division, Liga de Honra
Liga de Honra
The Liga de Honra , known for sponsorship reasons as the Liga Orangina, is the Portuguese second level football league. It was formerly called Segunda Divisão and Segunda Divisão de Honra . When the LPFP took control of the two nationwide levels, it was renamed Segunda Liga, before renaming it...
, and Leeds United of the English League One. Although there had been no deal agreed with Leeds, Chhetri spoke in an interview saying, "Nothing has been confirmed as yet but yes, I think I am close to getting there," however a deal never materialised and he instead moved to East Bengal Club.
East Bengal
For the 2008–09 seasonI-League 2008-09
The I-League 2008-2009 season began on September 26, 2008 and finished on April 16, 2009 with a break in December for the Federation Cup and Durand Cup. Most games this season were played on Saturday's and Sunday's to attract larger crowds...
, he signed with East Bengal Club
East Bengal Club
Kingfisher East Bengal Football Club are an Indian professional football club based at Kolkata. They are known to be one of the best footballing sides in India. They have won the most IFA Shields in Indian Football and are tied for the most National Football League and Durand Cup championships with...
. He scored on his debut against Chirag United on 26 September 2008 with a goal in the 28th minute to win the man of the match
Man of the match
In sport, a Man of the Match or Player of the Game or Man of the Series award is given to the outstanding player, almost always the one who makes the most impact, in a particular match or series. The term was originally used more often in cricket before being adopted by other sports. This can be a...
award. Chhetri scored a crucial goal in the 30th Federation Cup
Federation Cup (India)
The Federation Cup is an annual knockout style club football tournament in India. It has started in 1977. From its inception till I-League has been started in 1997 , it was the most prestigious national level club football tournament in India...
in a 1–0 win against his former club JCT, which almost assured East Bengal of a place in the semi-finals. In the semi-final against arch rivals Mohun Bagan, things were much different for Chhetri as he missed the decisive penalty
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
in the penalty shootout as East Bengal were knocked out of the competition. Newspaper reports suggested that a few Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
(MLS) clubs, rumoured to be Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy
The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional soccer team, based in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson, California, which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, and the league's second...
and DC United, were interested in the Indian striker along with his team mate Steven Dias
Steven Dias
Steven Benedic Dias is an Indian professional football player currently playing for Churchill Brothers S.C. of the I-League. An attacking midfielder who plays on the wings, he is known for his long range shooting, crossing and passing...
. On 25 January 2009, he arrived in England to start a trial with Coventry City, rejecting the contract from the MLS. Coventry City manager
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
Chris Coleman
Chris Coleman (footballer)
Christopher "Chris" Coleman is a Welsh football manager and former player. He is currently the manager of Greek Side Larissa....
announced four days later that they would not be following their interest in the Indian international. Roughly four months later, on 20 May 2009, Chhetri said that he would again be going to Coventry City on an extended trial of 15 days in June 2009. He finished the season with seven goals helping East Bengal finish sixth place in the league.
Dempo
After being released by East Bengal, Chhetri signed a two-year contract for Dempo SC on 22 May 2009, with a clause stating he could attend trials abroad in the future if he wished to.On 7 August, the Scottish club Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
were linked with a move to sign Chhetri. Celtic had him watched during the pre-season friendly with Santboià
FC Santboià
Futbol Club Santboià is a Spanish football team based in Sant Boi de Llobregat, in the autonomous community of Catalonia. Founded in 1908, it plays in Tercera División - Group 5, holding home matches at Estadi Municipal Joan Baptista Milà, with a capacity for 3,000 seats.-Season to season:----*1...
, a third division Spanish club. The player's agent, Yogesh Joshee was quoted as saying, "I'm waiting to get feedback from Celtic, who saw him on Monday by head scout and then another scout came to watch game, I'll let you know the outcome when I know." The Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded in 1924 with roots in the Indian independence movement of the period ....
stated in an article on 30 August that Chhetri had signed a three-year contract with English club Queens Park Rangers, but the British government denied him a work permit. According to an article on the Football Players’ Association of India's official website, Chhetri was denied a work permit because India were not in the top 70 of the FIFA World Rankings
FIFA World Rankings
The FIFA World Rankings is a ranking system for men's national teams in association football, currently led by Spain. The teams of the member nations of FIFA , football's world governing body, are ranked based on their game results with the most successful teams being ranked highest...
. Chhetri remained positive: "But it's not the end of the world. I will still continue to work hard for my country and my club Dempo, who have been very supportive."
Queen's Park Rangers Denial
Sunil had signed a three-year contract with Queen's Park Rangers in August 2009. The club since has been working to get its work permit for him to play in England.He was informed by his agent that it was rejected by the UK government since India is not in the top 70 in the FIFA ranking and the British government only permits non-EU players if the player is playing for the country and the country is ranked below 70 in FIFA ranking.
Major League Soccer
Chhetri trialled with Major League SoccerMajor League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
club Kansas City Wizards
Kansas City Wizards
Sporting Kansas City is an American professional soccer club based in Kansas City, Kansas that competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States of America and Canada...
throughout March 2010, competing during their pre-season games. He became the first Indian to represent a Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
club when he formally signed for the team on 24 March 2010. Peter Vermes
Peter Vermes
Peter Joseph Vermes is an American former professional soccer player. He is currently the head coach of Sporting Kansas City in Major League Soccer....
, the manager, was quoted saying "One thing we really like about Sunil is that he's a crafty player. Technically he's very sharp, and he's a guy that has good attacking tendencies." His first game was in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a knockout tournament in American soccer. The tournament is the oldest ongoing American soccer competition and is presently open to all United States Soccer Federation affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams to the professional clubs of Major League...
qualification play-in game against Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
, which ended on a sad note as his team was knocked out and he ended up with a yellow card and was substituted at half time. He did not make any appearances in any league matches in the 2010 Major League Soccer season
2010 Major League Soccer season
The 2010 Major League Soccer season was the 98th season of FIFA-sanctioned soccer, the 32nd with a national first-division league, in the United States and Canada, and the 15th in MLS history. It began on March 25 at Seattle's Qwest Field with Seattle Sounders FC defeating the expansion...
. It was announced that Chhetri would make his second appearance for the club in a friendly versus Manchester United which caused controversy as he had yet to appear with the club in league play. He was substituted into the game in the 69th minute, which the Wizards won despite being down to 10 men. The next day Chettri was released for the rest of the season to the Indian national team until the end of the 2011 AFC Asian Cup
2011 AFC Asian Cup
The 2011 AFC Asian Cup finals were held in Qatar on 7–29 January 2011. It was the fifteenth time the tournament has been held, and the second time it has been hosted by Qatar, the other being the 1988 AFC Asian Cup...
. On February 5 Sporting Kansas reported that Chhetri has officially left the team.
2011 Asian Cup Speculation
The word came out that many Arab and Australian scouts were present during the India-Australia & India-Bahrain tie to try and grab up the versatile striker amidst reports that Chhetri is 'frustrated' at Sporting Kansas City, due to lack of playing time.United Sports Club
After rejecting a contract from Baichung BhutiaBaichung Bhutia
Baichung Bhutia is an ex Indian footballer. He is currently contracted by the club he owns, United Sikkim. He is considered to be the torchbearer of Indian football in the international arena. He plays for United Sikkim FC. He is often nicknamed the Sikkimese Sniper because of his shooting skills...
's club United Sikkim FC
United Sikkim FC
United Sikkim Football Club is an Indian football club based in Sikkim in northeast India. The club is currently participating in the I-League 2nd Division...
, Sunil decided to sign a contract with Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
club United Sports Club until the end of the season. It was announced on February 10, 2011 that Chhetri has signed for Chirag United SC. On February 20, 2011 Chhetri played his first game for United Sports Club in the I-League
I-League
The I-League is an Indian football league for association football clubs. At the top of the Indian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 14 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation of two teams each year with the I-League 2nd Division...
against Salgaocar SC coming on in the 58th minute, the match ended 4-1 in Salgaocar SC favor.
Mohun Bagan
On July 22, 2011, it was announced by I-LeagueI-League
The I-League is an Indian football league for association football clubs. At the top of the Indian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 14 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation of two teams each year with the I-League 2nd Division...
club Mohun Bagan that Chhetri has signed a one-year deal with the club. He scored his first goal for Bagan on September 21, 2011 against Churchill Brothers. Even though Bagan tied the match, they were still eliminated from the 2011 Indian Federation Cup
2011 Indian Federation Cup
The 2011 Indian Federation Cup will be the 33rd season of the knock-out competition. On 13 August 2011 the AIFF announced that 21 clubs had been accepted to the tournament.....
. He then scored his first two goals for Bagan against Mumbai and then against Churchill Brothers on November 10, 2011. Until now, he has scored 4 goals in 8 matches.
International career
Chhetri has represented India at international level. He made his debut for the India national teamIndia national football team
The Indian national football team is the national football team of India and is governed by the All India Football Federation. It is a member of the Asian Football Confederation. Since 1948, the AIFF has been affiliated with FIFA, the international governing body for football. In 1954, AIFF became...
in the 2004 SAF Games
2004 South Asian Games
The 2004 South Asian Games were held in Islamabad, Pakistan in 2004. Earlier in 2001,these games were postponed in the wake of 9/11 attacks on U.S. which is a close ally of Pakistan...
in Pakistan. He scored his first international goal against Pakistan
Pakistan national football team
The Pakistan national football team is controlled by the Pakistan Football Federation and is a member of the Asian Football Confederation . The team has not yet qualified for either the FIFA World Cup or Asian Cup championships. Twice they have finished third in the South Asian Football Federation...
on 12 June 2005.
Nehru Cup International Football Tournament 2007
The 2007 Nehru Cup International Football Tournament also known as the ONGC Nehru Cup due to the competition's sponsorship by ONGC, was the 13th edition of the Nehru Cup a tournament organized by the All India Football Federation since 1982...
. In the opening game, India defeated Cambodia
Cambodia national football team
The Cambodia national football team is the national team of Cambodia and is controlled by the Football Federation of Cambodia . It was known as the Khmer Republic national football team from 1970 to 1975. It finished fourth in the 1972 Asian Cup, but is currently one of the weakest teams in the...
6–0 with Chhetri scoring two goals. He also scored a goal in the 2–3 defeat to Syria
Syria national football team
The Syria national football team represents Syria in association football and is controlled by the Syrian Football Association, the governing body for football in Syria. Syria's home grounds are Abbasiyyin Stadium and Aleppo International Stadium...
and another in the 3–0 win over Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan national football team
The Kyrgyzstan national football team is the national team of Kyrgyzstan and is controlled by the Football Federation of Kyrgyz Republic.-History:...
to take his goal tally to four. Chhetri was involved in the build-up to N.P. Pradeep's decisive goal as India beat Syria
Syria national football team
The Syria national football team represents Syria in association football and is controlled by the Syrian Football Association, the governing body for football in Syria. Syria's home grounds are Abbasiyyin Stadium and Aleppo International Stadium...
1–0 in the final to become the first champions of the tournament since 1997. Later in 2007, India began their 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
qualification campaign. They were knocked out in the first round
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - AFC First Round
This page provides the summaries of the AFC First Round matches for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification.-Format:In this round teams ranked from 6–24 were randomly drawn against teams ranked from 25–43, and the draw took place on 6 August 2007 in the AFC House in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
by Lebanon
Lebanon national football team
The Lebanon national football team represents the Republic of Lebanon in international association football. Their official nickname is The Cedars...
with Chhetri scoring once in the away leg (a 4–1 defeat) and once in the home leg (a 2–2 draw) resulting in a 6–3 aggregate defeat.
The 2008 SAFF Championship
SAFF Championship 2008
The 2008 SAFF Championship was held in Malé, Maldives and Colombo, Sri Lanka between June 3 and June 14, 2008. '.Initially, the tournament was due to be held in 2007 but was postponed to 2008.-Group A:--------------------...
started with three victories out of a possible three in the group stages. In the opening game, Chhetri scored a goal in a 4–0 victory over Nepal
Nepal national football team
The Nepal national football team is the national team of Nepal and is controlled by the All Nepal Football Association. A member of the Asian Football Confederation , the Nepalese football team play their home games at Dasarath Rangasala Stadium located at Tripureswhor in Kathmandu. The All Nepal...
. He scored once more in the championship—in the 2–1 semi-final victory over Bhutan
Bhutan national football team
The Bhutan national football team is the national team of Bhutan and is controlled by the Bhutan Football Federation.- History :While a Bhutanese National football team has existed since the 1970s, it was officially founded in 1983 and joined FIFA in 2000....
; this was an equaliser before Gouramangi Singh
Gouramangi Singh
Moirangthem Gouramangi Singh is an Indian professional association football player who plays as a centre back for I-League team Churchill Brothers.-Club career:...
scored India's second goal to send India through to the final. India lost 1–0 to the Maldives
Maldives national football team
The Maldives national football team is the national team of the Maldives and is controlled by the Football Association of Maldives. A member of the AFC, it qualified for the second stage of Asian qualifying for the 2006 World Cup, where it drew with South Korea at home 0–0.Maldives most significant...
in the final and Chhetri played for the full 90 minutes. Later that year, in the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup
2008 AFC Challenge Cup
The 2008 AFC Challenge Cup football tournament was hosted by India and played from July 30 to August 13, 2008. India won the final against Tajikistan...
, Chhetri played in all of the matches and scored four goals. In the 1–0 win over Afghanistan
Afghanistan national football team
The Afghanistan national football team is the national team of Afghanistan and is controlled by the Afghanistan Football Federation. The national team was founded in 1922 that joined FIFA in 1948 and the AFC in 1954...
, he was involved in the build-up to Climax Lawrence
Climax Lawrence
Climax Lawrence is an Indian professional Football player. The midfielder is playing for Dempo S.C. and is also the captain of the Indian national team.- Career :...
's goal. He also played for the full 90 minutes against Tajikistan
Tajikistan national football team
The Tajikistan national football team represents Tajikistan in association football and is controlled by the Tajikistan National Football Federation, the governing body for football in Tajikistan. Tajikistan's home ground is Pamir Stadium in Dushanbe....
(a 1–1 draw) and Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan national football team
The Turkmenistan national football team is the national team of Turkmenistan and is controlled by the Football Federation of Turkmenistan.-History:After the country gained independence, they played their first match against Kazakhstan on June 1, 1992...
(a 2–1 win). In the semi-final against Myanmar
Myanmar national football team
The Myanmar national football team is the national team of Myanmar and is controlled by the Myanmar Football Federation. It was known as the Burma national football team until 1989, when Burma was renamed Myanmar. It finished second in the 1968 Asian Cup. They have participated in the Summer...
, Chhetri scored the only goal in a 1–0 victory after being assisted by Baichung Bhutia to see India through to the final. In the final against Tajikistan, Chhetri scored a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
which enabled India to win the Cup. This automatically qualified India for the 2011 Asian Cup, the first time they had qualified for the tournament in 24 years. His first goal was originally disallowed for offside by Uzbek
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
referee Valentin Kovalenko, who changed his mind after consulting his assistant
Assistant referee (association football)
In association football, an assistant referee is one of several officials who assist the referee in controlling a match. Two officials, traditionally known as linesmen , stand on the touchlines, while a fourth official assists administrative or other match related tasks as directed by the referee...
. Hundreds of fans waited outside the stadium to greet India's new "poster boy
Poster child
A poster child is a child afflicted by some disease or deformity whose picture is used on posters or other media as part of a campaign to raise money or enlist volunteers for a cause or organization...
" and India manager Bob Houghton stated, "He is remarkable, brave and honest. He never gives up."
Initially, Goal.com
Goal.com
Goal.com, founded in 2004 by Chicco Merighi and former Ferrari Maserati and Ralph Lauren President and CEO Gian Luigi Longinotti-Buitoni, is a website for international football news. Goal.com represents the largest football community in the world, with 22 language versions, covering over 200...
stated that Chhetri would miss the 2009 Nehru Cup through injury. He played in the tournament, however, and he scored in the second match of the Nehru Cup, a penalty in a 2–1 win over Kyrgyzstan, this being first time he had completed a full match since getting injured before the pre-season tour of Spain with his club. He featured in the other three games in the round robin
Round-robin tournament
A round-robin tournament is a competition "in which each contestant meets all other contestants in turn".-Terminology:...
stage of the tournament, including the "" for the final against Syria, but did not score. Chhetri was one of India's scorers in the penalty shootout victory over Syria in the final after the match had ended in a 1–1 draw. He showed flashes of brilliance and scored the second goal in a 5-2 defeat at the hands of Bahrain in the 2011 Asian Cup.He also scored a goal against Asian powerhouse South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
at the 2011 AFC Asian Cup
2011 AFC Asian Cup
The 2011 AFC Asian Cup finals were held in Qatar on 7–29 January 2011. It was the fifteenth time the tournament has been held, and the second time it has been hosted by Qatar, the other being the 1988 AFC Asian Cup...
.
He was named the national team Captain for the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualification
2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualification
The 2012 AFC Challenge Cup qualification phase saw eight teams advance to the final tournament in Nepal. The qualification draw was held on 20 October 2010, in AFC House.-Seeding:...
which took place in Malaysia.On November 16 2011 Chhetri scored in the 39th and 53rd minute for India against Malaysia in a Friendly played at the Salt Lake Stadium. The match ended 3-2 in favor of India.
International
- Statistics accurate as of 16 November 2011.
National team Year Apps Goals India India national football teamThe Indian national football team is the national football team of India and is governed by the All India Football Federation. It is a member of the Asian Football Confederation. Since 1948, the AIFF has been affiliated with FIFA, the international governing body for football. In 1954, AIFF became...2005 5 1 2006 1 0 2007 7 6 2008 12 8 2009 6 1 2010 6 3 2011 13 7 Total 50 26
International goals
- Scores and results list India's goal tally first.
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 12 June 2005 | Ayub Stadium Ayub National Stadium Ayub National Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Quetta, Pakistan. It is used for football and Cricket games. The stadium holds 20,000 people.Most of the friendly matches are hosted in this stadium as it is superior to many other football grounds in Pakistan.... , Quetta Quetta is the largest city and the provincial capital of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. Known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan" due to the diversity of its plant and animal wildlife, Quetta is home to the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, which contains some of the rarest species of wildlife in the... |
1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
|
| 2. | 17 August 2007 | Ambedkar Stadium Ambedkar Stadium Ambedkar Stadium is a stadium in New Delhi, India. The stadium is named in honour of B. R. Ambedkar, the famous dalit leader and chairman of the Indian constituent assembly. It opened in 2007 and has a listed capacity of 20,000. It is currently used for football matches... , Delhi Delhi Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census... |
4–0 | 6–0 | 2007 Nehru Cup | |
| 3. | 17 August 2007 | Ambedkar Stadium, Delhi |  Cambodia |
5–0 | 6–0 | 2007 Nehru Cup |
| 4. | 23 August 2007 | Ambedkar Stadium, Delhi | 1–0 | 2–3 | 2007 Nehru Cup | |
| 5. | 26 August 2007 | Ambedkar Stadium, Delhi | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2007 Nehru Cup | |
| 6. | 8 October 2007 | Saida International Stadium Saida International Stadium Saida International Stadium is a 22,600 capacity multi-purpose stadium in Saida , Lebanon. The stadium was built on the expanded grounds of the old Saida Municipal Stadium, as one of the venues to host matches during the 2000 AFC Asian Cup that was held in Lebanon. It is currently mostly used for... , Sidon Sidon Sidon or Saïda is the third-largest city in Lebanon. It is located in the South Governorate of Lebanon, on the Mediterranean coast, about 40 km north of Tyre and 40 km south of the capital Beirut. In Genesis, Sidon is the son of Canaan the grandson of Noah... |
1–0 | 1–4 | 2010 World Cup qualifier | |
| 7. | 30 October 2007 | Fatorda Stadium Fatorda Stadium The Fatorda Stadium, is a football stadium located in Margao, Goa and is the current home of Churchill Brothers S.C., Dempo S.C., Salgaocar S.C., and Sporting Clube de Goa. The stadium opened in 1989 and has an capacity of 27,300... , Goa Goa Goa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its... |
 Lebanon |
1–0 | 2–2 | 2010 World Cup qualifier |
| 8. | 24 May 2008 | Fatorda Stadium, Goa | 2–0 | 3–0 | Friendly | |
| 9. | 24 May 2008 | Fatorda Stadium, Goa |  Chinese Taipei |
3–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 10. | 3 June 2008 | Rasmee Dhandu Stadium Rasmee Dhandu Stadium Rasmee Dhandu Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Malé, Maldives. The word "Rasmee" means official in local language Dhivehi, while Dhandu means open ground/stadium. It is currently used mostly for football matches of the Dhivehi League, FAM Cup, and International matches. The stadium holds... , Malé Malé Malé , is the capital and most populous city in the Republic of Maldives. It is located at the southern edge of North Malé Atoll . It is also one of the Administrative divisions of the Maldives. Traditionally it was the King's Island, from where the ancient Maldive Royal dynasties ruled and where... |
3–0 | 4–0 | 2008 SAFF Cup | |
| 11. | 11 June 2008 | Rasmee Dhandu Stadium, Malé | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2008 SAFF Cup | |
| 12. | 7 August 2008 | Gachibowli Athletic Stadium Gachibowli Athletic Stadium Gachibowli Athletic Stadium is a multipurpose stadium in Hyderabad, India. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium holds 30,000 people and built in 2005.It is located in the Gachibowli suburb.... , Hyderabad |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2008 Challenge Cup 2008 AFC Challenge Cup The 2008 AFC Challenge Cup football tournament was hosted by India and played from July 30 to August 13, 2008. India won the final against Tajikistan... |
|
| 13. | 13 August 2008 | Ambedkar Stadium, Delhi | 1–0 | 4–1 | 2008 Challenge Cup | |
| 14. | 13 August 2008 | Ambedkar Stadium, Delhi |  Tajikistan |
3–0 | 4–1 | 2008 Challenge Cup |
| 15. | 13 August 2008 | Ambedkar Stadium, Delhi | Tajikistan |
4–1 | 4–1 | 2008 Challenge Cup |
| 16. | 23 August 2009 | Ambedkar Stadium, Delhi |  Kyrgyzstan |
2–0 | 2–1 | 2009 Nehru Cup 2009 Nehru Cup The 2009 Nehru Cup International Football Tournament also known as the ONGC Nehru Cup due to the competition's sponsorship by ONGC, was the 14th edition of the Nehru Cup a friendly tournament organized by the All India Football Federation .... |
| 17. | 8 October 2010 | Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Shri Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Balewadi, Pune is an Indian sports complex. This complex is situated in Balewadi, Pune, about 14–15 km far from Pune downtown and 4–5 km from Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park, Hinjewadi, Pune... , Pune Pune Pune , is the eighth largest metropolis in India, the second largest in the state of Maharashtra after Mumbai, and the largest city in the Western Ghats. Once the centre of power of the Maratha Empire, it is situated 560 metres above sea level on the Deccan plateau at the confluence of the Mula ... |
1–0 | 3–1 | Friendly | |
| 18. | 8 October 2010 | Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Pune |  Vietnam |
2–0 | 3–1 | Friendly |
| 19. | 8 October 2010 | Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex, Pune | Vietnam |
3–1 | 3–1 | Friendly |
| 20. | 14 January 2011 | Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Doha, Qatar. It is currently used mostly for football matches and it also has facilities for athletics. The football team Al-Sadd plays there. The stadium, originally built in 1974, was rebuilt in 2004 for the Gulf Cup and currently has a... , Doha Doha Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar... |
2–4 | 2–5 | 2011 Asian Cup 2011 AFC Asian Cup The 2011 AFC Asian Cup finals were held in Qatar on 7–29 January 2011. It was the fifteenth time the tournament has been held, and the second time it has been hosted by Qatar, the other being the 1988 AFC Asian Cup... |
|
| 21. | 18 January 2011 | Al-Gharafa Stadium, Doha | 1–2 | 1–4 | 2011 Asian Cup | |
| 22. | 21 March 2011 | Petaling Jaya Stadium, Petaling Jaya Petaling Jaya Petaling Jaya is a Malaysian city originally developed as a satellite township for Kuala Lumpur comprising mostly residential and some industrial areas. It is located in the Petaling district of Selangor with an area of approximately 97.2 km². On 20 June 2006, Petaling Jaya was granted a... |
Chinese Taipei |
2–0 | 3–0 | 2012 Challenge Cup qualifier |
| 23. | 10 July 2011 | Rasmee Dhandu Stadium Rasmee Dhandu Stadium Rasmee Dhandu Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Malé, Maldives. The word "Rasmee" means official in local language Dhivehi, while Dhandu means open ground/stadium. It is currently used mostly for football matches of the Dhivehi League, FAM Cup, and International matches. The stadium holds... , Malé |
1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly | |
| 24. | 17 July 2011 | Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, Doha | 1–0 | 2–1 | Friendly | |
| 25. | 16 November 2011 | Salt Lake Stadium Salt Lake Stadium Salt Lake Stadium , is a multi-purpose stadium in Bidhannagar, Kolkata, West Bengal.-Information:... , Kolkata Kolkata Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India... |
1–0 | 3–2 | Friendly | |
| 26. | 16 November 2011 | Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata |  Malaysia |
3–1 | 3–2 | Friendly |
International
- AFC Challenge CupAFC Challenge CupThe AFC Challenge Cup is an international football competition for emerging nations that are members of the Asian Football Confederation. The first tournament was hosted by Bangladesh in 2006...
Most Valuable Player (1): 20082008 AFC Challenge CupThe 2008 AFC Challenge Cup football tournament was hosted by India and played from July 30 to August 13, 2008. India won the final against Tajikistan...