Sunil Chettri isn’t just a name but a brand in itself. The football icon from India, Sunil Chettri, comes from very humble beginnings. Chettri has talked a lot about how he has disciplined himself to be the best, routing back to his childhood.
Following international retirement, Chhetri has been sharing his ideologies on discipline, challenges, motivating factors, etc. The life of the celebrated Indian footballer is one to look for.
Early Life of Sunil Chhetri
The Indian footballer Sunil Chettri was born in Andhra Pradesh on 3rd August 1984. He was born to parents of Nepalese origin, KB Chhetri and Sushila Chhetri. His father was in the Indian army, so he spent all of his life there.
Sunil Chhetri has a sister named Bandana Chettri, who is very close to him.
Sunil Chhetri’s Age and Birthday
As of 2025, Sunil is 40 years old. Even at the age of 40, he is representing Bengaluru with utter pride and honor. His birthday falls on 3rd August. His schooling took place in Gangtok.
His love for football started from his schooling days. It was at the age of 17 that the scouts spotted him, and he moved to New Delhi, where better things happened for Sunil Chettri.
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Sunil Chhetri Humble Beginnings
In an exclusive interview with ANI, Sunil Chettri clarified that life was never out of line for him. He had enough in the family but not much to overspend. In the past, money was the driving force behind Chhetri’s choosing football.
In the interview, he even stated that his first salary was way higher than his father’s. Growing up in an army family, he was always disciplined from a very young age.
Not only that, but this discipline also helps him to be a good human being. Meanwhile, his desire for money stopped 9 years ago, and he is playing football purely for the love of the game.
Sunil Chhetri Football Records
There are plenty of football records that go alongside Sunil Chhetri. Being the biggest football icon of India, Chhetri has served Indian football all his life.
Some of the well-known records owned by Sunil in football include:
- Most goals by an Indian in AFC competitions
- First Indian player to score a hattrick in Indian Super League
- Highest goal scorer in I League
- Leading India to victory in Nehru Cup in 2007, 2009 & 2012
- Most matches for India
- Most hat tricks for the Indian national team
- Highest international goals by an Indian
- Instrumental in winning the 2019 Asian Cup, against Thailand, 4-1.
- First Football player to receive the Khel Ratna Award
Sunil Chhetri Wife and Kids
The love story of Sunil Chhetri and his wife, Sonam Bhattacharya, is interesting. Sonam is the daughter of Mohun Bagan’s coach Subroto Bhattacharya.
Sunil first met his wife through a mutual friend but didn’t know the coach was his father. They dated for more than 10 years, only to get married on 4th December 2017.
The wedding and reception were grand events, and close family and friends were part of them. Sunil Chettri’s son’s name is Dhruv Chhetri. Dhruv was born on 30th August 2023.
Sunil Chhetri Net Worth
By the end of 2024, Sunil Chhetri’s net worth is $8 crores. All of his earnings have come from his professional career, brand endorsements, business deals, and business ventures.
Chhetri has served Indian football for more than 100 matches, and he is the most capped footballer. Talking about Chhetri’s brand endorsements, he has been part of Pepsi, Puma, Tata Motors, Iodex, etc, and according to moneycontrol, he takes, Rs 1 crore per endorsement
Meanwhile, the former Indian captain owns a massive bungalow in Bengaluru, which is 7,000 sq ft. When talking about cars, Sunil Chhetri has an Audi, Toyota Fortuner, Kia Seltos, Mahindra Scorpio, etc.
Even at the age of 40, Chhetri is actively playing for Bengaluru FC in Indian Super League. With another year added to the contract, his net worth will only rise higher.
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