ISL 2023-24: Winning ISL trophy most memorable moment, says BFC's Sunil Chhetri ahead of 150th match (WATCH)
With 60 goals to his name, Bengaluru FC's Sunil Chhetri stands as the highest-scoring Indian player in ISL history, trailing only Bartholomew Ogbeche (63) in the all-time list.
FollowIndian national team captain and Bengaluru FC star Sunil Chhetri will achieve a remarkable milestone on Saturday, February 24, as he marks his 150th appearance in the Indian Super League (ISL) while facing Hyderabad FC at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, starting at 7:30 PM IST. With 60 goals to his name, Chhetri stands as the highest-scoring Indian player in ISL history, trailing only Bartholomew Ogbeche (63) in the all-time list.
Widely regarded as one of India's most celebrated and dependable strikers, Chhetri embarked on his ISL journey in 2015 with Mumbai City FC, where he made an immediate impact by scoring seven goals in 11 appearances. Despite Mumbai City FC investing a significant sum of Rs 1.2 crore to acquire him in the auction for the second season, Chhetri has become a cornerstone of Bengaluru FC since the club's inception into the league in 2017. In his debut ISL season with Bengaluru FC, Chhetri showcased his prowess by netting 14 goals and providing two assists, contributing significantly to the team's runner-up finish.
Sunil Chhetri has excelled against certain opponents, evident in his statistics: a commanding 62% winning rate against arch-rivals Kerala Blasters FC and nine goals scored against his former team, Mumbai City FC. Interestingly, his most prolific scoring record is against Mumbai City FC, although they never lost any of the four games he scored in during his tenure with the club (2015 & 2016). Describing Chhetri's striking abilities as clinical is apt, with 42 goals from inside the box, 16 penalties, one goal from outside the 18-yard-box, and a direct free kick among his tally of 60 in the ISL.
Chhetri stands out as the only Indian player with two hat-tricks in the ISL. Additionally, he boasts five braces in the competition, winning the league with Bengaluru FC in 2018-19 and earning the Player of the Season award in 2017-18 despite his team's loss to Chennaiyin FC in the final. Notably, his records and achievements top his list when asked about memorable moments from his ISL journey.
“One would be winning the ISL, because that was magical. Rahul Bheke, who is wearing the Mumbai City FC jersey now, scored the winner for us, and that, I will never forget. For completely different reasons, the other one would be losing the ISL final at home against Chennaiyin FC. You can pardon me for being selfish, but the third would be my first hat-trick. When I scored my first hat-trick, I was playing for Mumbai City FC. I reckon that was the first hat-trick ever by an Indian,” Chhetri, who will become the fourth player after Pritam Kotal (157), Amrinder Singh (153) and Mandar Dessai (152) to reach the mark of 150 ISL appearances, said.
Chhetri acknowledged the ISL for nurturing the current generation of players for the Blue Tigers. He highlighted the significant impact of international coaches, players, and overall expertise in the Indian top-tier league, which has contributed to the improvement of Indian players through daily training alongside these individuals. The Indian skipper pointed to seasoned defender Sandesh Jhingan as an example, who emerged as one of the first breakout stars of the ISL, clinching the Emerging Player of the Year award in the inaugural 2014 season.
In many ways, Chhetri has been a torchbearer and a beacon of hope for an entire young generation of footballing superstars who have been unearthed due to the ISL.
“ISL has helped in a massive way, and more importantly it’s the grooming of the players who are already playing for the national team. Because, Indian Super League (ISL) is the premier tournament of the country, all the top players representing India play in the ISL. When the league, foreign influx is better, when each and every club improves individually, brings better technology, coaches, players, and all our prospects train with them, they become well and the ISL helps a lot that way,” Chhetri, whose teams have won 33 out of the 51 games he has scored an ISL goal in, said.
“When a young Sandesh Jhingan was training day in, day out, playing the top strikers like Miku, Ogbeche, (Ferran) Corominas, marking them, really helped them improve their game. When you train and play with better players, you become well, and for me that’s the biggest contribution of the ISL to the Indian national team,” he added.
Chhetri remains the top Indian goal-scorer in the ongoing ISL 2023-24 season, currently tallying 4 goals. Beyond mere statistics, he stands as the beacon of leadership, inspiring the entire team whenever they seek motivation. Chhetri's remarkable ability to raise his performance during crucial moments and simultaneously galvanize his teammates towards achieving the extraordinary is unmatched.
Bengaluru FC is among the contenders vying for coveted playoff spots. Under Gerard Zaragoza's coaching tenure since December, they have experienced mixed results. However, both the fans at Kanteerava and the club itself fervently hope that Chhetri's landmark game heralds the beginning of something extraordinary for their season.
