‘To leave the world better than I found it’: Sunil Chhetri on football, life and more

When you meet Sunil Chhetri in person, the stature of being captain of the Indian football team melts away to reveal a person in genuine love with the sport. While his mantle is stacked with many accolades, nothing is more towering than his humility and sense of humour. 

Revered among his teammates, fans, and the Indian public, Chhetri started his international career with India’s U-20 football team in 2004, playing his first match against Pakistan. 

“It was one of the most important days of my life, so I have not forgotten that. I got my first No 11 jersey in that game. Thankfully, I scored also. But sadly, we didn’t win. It was a 1-1 draw. However, I would take the feeling from that day to my grave,” Chhetri tells YS Life.

Today, after 19 years, the ace footballer is the only Indian to feature among the top 10 international goal scorers in men’s football, ranking fifth. 

He is also the captain of Bengaluru FC—also known as the West Block Blues—and led the team to the finals of Indian Super League 2022-23, losing out by a whisker to ATK Mohun Bagan on penalties.

On the sidelines of PUMA India’s ‘Let There Be Sport’ conclave, Chhetri gave us a little sneak peek of his personal life outside the sport.  

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Sunil Chhetri, Virat Kohli on the power of sports in our daily lives

Early days

Chhetri’s tryst with football started early on with his parents’ backing. “To be honest, it wasn’t a choice, thankfully,” he said during a fireside chat at the conclave.

“Most of our upbringing, our principles, and the way we live life have come from my mum. It was all, directly or indirectly, related to sports,” the Khel Ratna and Arjuna awardee said. 

His parents never forced him to play any one sport or even football, for that matter. “More emphasis was given on the fact that I just go and express myself. I think, respecting elders and being disciplined were mandatory in our house. Other than that, (they said) do whatever you want and try to be honest,” he shared.

Overcoming challenges

When I asked him about the challenges he faced during his career, he laughed and said, “How much time do you have?” 

Chhetri has gone through many ups and downs in his career—right from his early days playing for Mohun Bagan and living in Kolkata as a teenager. He overcame his dribbling block and also had to face numerous rejections from international football clubs.

“The good part is, since I am in the business of sports, it teaches you and gives you all the ammunition to deal with all the ups and downs that come with it,” he added. 

He says the biggest lesson he gained was that of humility. “I have missed as many goals as I have scored. So, I have a nice balance. What it does, in turn, is make you humble. It’s probably the most important teaching that I have learnt.” 

While preparing physically is easy for the ace footballer as he has to follow a standard routine—exercise, practice, and diet—mentally, it is challenging as various factors, personal and professional, come into play. 

He explained, “What I try to do is keep it as simple as possible so I don’t take too much into my head. If things are going well, I don’t want to think I am too good, or when things are going bad, I don’t want to think I am too bad.” 

“You are never guaranteed success, but just the way you get up and think you are going to do something great, is a good feeling,” Chhetri shared. 

While dealing with failures, the footballer abides by his mantra of taking a back seat, analysing and observing his mistakes, and taking time before reacting to the situation. 

For Chhetri, inspiration can come from anywhere. “I like that thing about myself, where I see people doing amazing work and it inspires me. I keep trying to push boundaries for myself. It doesn’t mean I get the results, but it stimulates me in a way that I love it.” 

Down time

In his leisure time, he likes to catch up on some sleep “and a little more.” He also loves reading books, gathering knowledge, going on drives, and catching up with his friends. 

Among his favourite authors is Yuval Noah Harari—the author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. He says, “I have read all his books. I like the way he thinks about life.” Very recently, he finished reading Atomic Habits by James Clear. 

Chhetri’s love for his fans and vice versa is one for the books. Talking about his West Block Blues (WBB) fans, he says, “They are family, and the best thing is they know it. A lot of them are here at the club right from Day 1 when I started. We might not know each other personally, but they know we are part of something big. In the last 10 years, we have created something really amazing.” 

When asked what sets the WBB fans apart, he admits that he is biased towards them. “I can keep going back to them. They love the club the way I love it. It makes them really special.” 

Imparting some advice to budding footballers in India, the 38-year-old urged them to play the sport for the love of the game and rest everything will take care of itself. 

Even now, Chhetri aspires to be a better player and a better human being. 

His mantra? “To leave the world better than how I found it.”

(Cover image designed by Chetan Singh)