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Sunil Chhetri Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 15, 2026 • 3 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth3 August 1984

Age40 Years

BirthplaceSecunderabad, India

ProfessionIndian Professional Footballer

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseSonam Bhattacharya

FamilyFather - KB Chhetri; Mother - Sushila Chhetri; Sister - Bandana Chhetri

Sunil Chhetri Biography

Sunil Chhetri is an Indian professional footballer from Secunderabad who built a long international career as a striker and centre-forward. A decorated top

Early life and background

Sunil Chhetri was born on 3 August 1984 in Secunderabad, India. He grew up in a family with roots in Nepal; his father, KB Chhetri, served in the EME Corps of the Indian Army and his mother, Sushila Chhetri, played for the Nepal women’s national team. Chhetri attended Bahai School in Gangtok, Sikkim, and later studied at Asutosh College in Kolkata.

Chhetri’s upbringing included periods of financial constraint, which shaped his early journey into football. From a young age he enjoyed other sports and hobbies such as cricket, badminton, tennis and listening to music.

Career

Chhetri made his professional debut in 2002 with Mohun Bagan and went on to play primarily as a striker and centre-forward, wearing the number 11 jersey for club and country. His career included notable spells at JCT, where he produced standout goal-scoring performances in domestic competitions. While representing Delhi in the Santosh Trophy, he recorded two hat-tricks in the group stages and later scored 11 goals for JCT in the 2006–07 campaign. In the inaugural season of the I-League (2007) he scored seven goals as JCT secured third place.

Internationally, Chhetri became a pivotal figure for India. A turning point in his career arrived at the 2007 Nehru Cup where he finished as the tournament’s top scorer with four goals and helped India lift the title. He served as India’s captain from 2011 to 2016 and finished his international playing career with 53 goals in 93 appearances, making him the leading scorer in Indian national team history.

Across club and country he earned multiple individual honours. He was named AIFF Player of the Year in 2007 and again received that award in 2011, 2013 and 2014. In 2009 he won the FPAI Indian Player of the Year award. At the 2011 SAFF Championship he was named Player of the Tournament after a prolific scoring return. In the 2013–14 season Chhetri starred for Bengaluru FC, scoring 14 goals and providing seven assists in 23 appearances to help the club capture the I-League title in their debut season.

Chhetri’s career also included attempts to move to Europe. He was linked with clubs such as Leeds United and Estoril Praia, and later earned a trial with Coventry City in 2009. He was reportedly unable to complete a transfer to Queens Park Rangers after being denied a British work permit.

On 16 May 2024, Chhetri announced his intention to retire from international football, with his retirement to take effect on 6 June 2024.

Public profile

Chhetri has been recognized with several of India’s top sporting honours, including the Arjuna Award and the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 2021. His mentors and influences include Subroto Bhattacharya, whose family later became linked to Chhetri personally.

Off the field he has expressed admiration for footballers Lionel Messi and David Villa, and for public figures such as actor Shah Rukh Khan and actress Konkona Sen Sharma. Chhetri has also named Sachin Tendulkar as a favourite cricketer.

Personal life

Sunil Chhetri is married to Sonam Bhattacharya; the couple have a son, Dhruv, born on 30 August 2023. His sister is named Bandana Chhetri. Chhetri’s stated religion is Hinduism and his ethnicity is described as Indian Nepali. He is commonly referred to by the nickname “Bhai.”

Latest updates

In May 2024 Chhetri confirmed the date of his international retirement, bringing to a close a long and influential chapter with the Indian national team. Throughout his career he accumulated multiple domestic and international honours and left as his country’s leading goal scorer.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Sunil Chhetri, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Recent Work

International football retirement announcement

Announced on 16 May 2024 that he would retire from international football on 6 June 2024.

2024
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Career Highlights

  1. Professional debut for Mohun Bagan in 2002
  2. Top scorer and key performer in India’s 2007 Nehru Cup victory
  3. AIFF Player of the Year: 2007, 2011, 2013, 2014
  4. FPAI Indian Player of the Year: 2009
  5. Player of the Tournament at the 2011 SAFF Championship
  6. Led Bengaluru FC to the 2013–14 I-League title with 14 goals and 7 assists
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Sunil Chhetri born?

Sunil Chhetri was born on 3 August 1984.

What is Sunil Chhetri known for?

Sunil Chhetri is known for indian Professional Footballer.

What is Sunil Chhetri’s marital status?

Sunil Chhetri's marital status is listed as Married.

Who is Sunil Chhetri married to?

Sunil Chhetri is publicly listed as married to Sonam Bhattacharya.