Chhetri, who signed with the Blues in 2013, will see the new deal extend his stay with Bengaluru into a tenth season.
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Bengaluru FC have announced that club captain Sunil Chhetri has signed a new two-year deal, which will keep him at the club until at least 2023. Chhetri signed with the Blues in 2013. The new deal will see his stay with the Bengaluru-based club extend into a tenth season. The legendary footballer has made 203 appearances for the club. He has scored 101 goals in the period of time spent with BFC so far. The 36-year-old has led the club since its inception in 2013. The attacker has topped the goal-scoring charts in each of his eight seasons with the Blues.
“I’m really happy to have signed on for two more years at Bengaluru FC. The city is home now, and the people at this club are like family to me. It feels like just yesterday that I signed for the first time here, and I have to say the journey has been nothing short of special. I love this club, the supporters and the city, all three of which I have a strong bond with, and I’m looking forward to being part of many more great moments with them,” said Chhetri as quoted by the Bengaluru-based football club after completing formalities on his extension.
Chhetri is a six-time AIFF Player of the Year. He led the Blues to their first League title in 2013 and has since won five more trophies with the club. The tally of trophies includes the Federation Cup (2015, 2017), Indian Super League (2018-19) and Super Cup (2018). In addition to several other individual awards. Chhetri was named the Asian Football Confederation’s Asian Icon in 2018 and the following year, he was conferred the Padma Shri title, India’s fourth-highest civilian honour.
“Sunil has been an integral part of this club since day one. We all know what he, as a player, brings to the team. But his presence as a leader has been equally crucial to us, and especially to the youngsters coming through the ranks. He is a role model, and his influence and application has been paramount to our success. Over the last eight years, he has made this city his home and we are really happy that he has committed his future to Bengaluru FC,” said club CEO, Mandar Tamhane.
Chhetri scored twice against Bangladesh in India’s FIFA World Cup and AFC Asian Cup joint qualifier in Doha earlier this month. The attacker has amassed over 100 caps for the country and is India’s all-time leading scorer in international football, with 76 goals. Chhetri is now the third-highest active goal scorer in international football.
Apart from being a world-class football player, the BFC footballer is a man of the people. Football fans across the country have unparalleled respect for the 36-year-old, who only seems to be getting better with age. For the current generation of football fans, Chhetri is like the equivalent of a PK Banerjee, a Chuni Goswami, or a Bhaichung Bhutia.
Bengaluru FC will face Eagles FC in a 2021 AFC Cup Playoff stage clash, in August.
