The man of the hour, the “bhai” of Indian football, Captain Fantastic. Anything said about football legend Sunil Chhetri would not come close to the actual legacy the man beholds and propels upwards each passing day. Every Indian with access to the internet or television is no stranger to the man’s charisma and enigmatic skills. The captain who filled an entire stadium with just a video. Not many football players have that kind of accolade to their names. Yet, how many of us know the complete story of the man who managed to breathe back life into a game dying of negligence and ignorance in a disinterested nation? Safe to say, not many. So let’s take a peek into our captain’s life and see what led him to where he is right now.

Chhetri in Intercontinental Cup, Image source: https://bit.ly/2tQeG9M

Born in Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh on 3 August, 1984, football ran in Chhetri’s family as his father, Kharga Chhetri played football for the Indian Army and his mother, Sushila Chhetri played for the Nepal’s Women National Team along with her twin sisters. So the football maestro was introduced to the game right from the early days of his life. As the saying goes, the apple did not fall far from the tree and he took his family’s fervour for football a step further, deciding to pursue it professionally.