Sunil Chhetri is a footballing enigma.

In India, he’s a national hero.

Immortalised in his own country as unquestionably the greatest player that India has ever produced; Chhetri holds the national team records for most appearances, most goals and most hat-tricks and has been a mainstay in the national team for 2 decades. He’s also scored the fourth-highest number of international goals of all time, behind Ronaldo, Messi and perennial pub quiz answer Ali Daei. 94 goals in 151 matches for India is a crazy stat.

To football know-it-alls, he’s an Indian superstar that never got a fair shot abroad. Courted at times by teams like Leeds, Celtic, QPR and LA Galaxy, his brief stints at both Sporting CP and Kansas City were both cut short due to poor management and teams looking to cynically “cash in” on the support of Indian fans. Since returning to the Indian league, he’s become a legend at southern Indian side Bengaluru. One can often get the feeling that in another life, under different circumstances, Sunil Chhetri could well have achieved true megastar status outside of his native country.

For fans of FIFA (more particularly, fans of the long-running career mode), Chhetri is a certified cult hero. Starting most career mode saves as a free agent with a 65+ rating, he’s been an absolute godsend for EFL sides or those choosing to play in more obscure leagues with a more restrictive budget. Quick and tenacious with an eye for goal, Chhetri appears in-game as a brilliant striker in the mould of a cut-price Sergio Aguero.

Sunil Chhetri’s singular ability to be so many things at once is why I love him and his career so much. He’s both a national hero and a complete outsider, an international goalscoring heavyweight and a “free agent”, a “failure” abroad that has flown the flag for Indian footballer better than anyone else. 

Let it be known that Sunil Chhetri is a serious baller.