Sunil Chhetri, one of India’s most iconic footballers, has seen it all — from humble beginnings to becoming the face of Indian football. His journey, which began at Mohun Bagan in 2002, has been a testament to his hard work, dedication, and the sacrifices he made to reach the pinnacle of the sport. In an exclusive interview with ANI, Chhetri opened up about his financial struggles growing up, the burning desire that fueled his career, and the reality of making it big in football. When asked about his initial motivations for pursuing football, Chhetri did not shy away from the truth.
“Oh, it was always money, friend,” he said candidly in an exclusive interview to ANI.
For Chhetri, money was the driving force in the early days of his career.
“Money stopped… seven, eight, nine years back. Otherwise, it was always money first,” he admitted.
Chhetri explained his financial background, recalling how his father, who served in the army, worked hard to support the family.
“We came from that family where we had enough. But on the 25th, he would go and bring sugar from that house. Go and ask for some flour. And it was vice versa. People used to come from there too. They would ask for sugar, milk, flour,” he shared.
Despite having enough to get by, Chhetri’s family didn’t have the luxury of extravagance.
“We couldn’t go out of the lane a little bit. You couldn’t say that I need a fancy suit or I need new clothes. You couldn’t,” he said, reflecting on his humble upbringing. This financial constraint shaped Chhetri’s aspirations.
“So when I grew up, I wanted to make money. I made a bigger salary than my father for the first time,” he recalled with pride.
The turning point came when Chhetri received his first big paycheck.
“I still remember, a cheque of 60,000 after four months. I still don’t get that feeling. Touch wood, I’ve made a decent amount of money, but that feeling… I got the cheque, and at that time, to all the new kids, I had to go to the bank, take the passbook, withdraw the money, then bring it home,” he said, describing his excitement.
“I was so happy that day. I thought I can buy the world with 30,000,” he laughed.
Chhetri’s father, however, had a different perspective on money.
“Dad wasn’t there when I got the cheque. He was in Delhi, I was in Calcutta. After a couple of months, he came and gave me a nice pep talk about finances and how to save. Which I didn’t listen to for 1-2 years,” Chhetri admitted with a smile.
Growing up as a soldier’s son, Chhetri was instilled with discipline from an early age. His father’s strict routine of waking up at 5:30 am ensured that discipline was never a point of discussion in the Chhetri household.
“Dad used to wake up at 5:30. So he didn’t have to tell me to wake up at 5:30, dad had a bad/good habit of waking up and running away. I used to enjoy it because I wanted to support him,” Chhetri said.
“We all used to get up at 5:30-6:00 because dad had to go to office, and we had to go to school,” he added.
Though discipline was key, life at home was not extravagant, “There’s no pantry in the house. You can’t say where’s the pantry, where’s my chocolate, where’s my this and that. There was none. You eat lunch, you eat breakfast and you eat dinner. That’s it. One fine day, once in a blue moon, you might go out and eat something fancy, but that’s it. You’re not allowed, and I’m not trying to say that things were better then and not now,” he said, recalling the simplicity of his childhood.
Chhetri also discussed the challenges that children from affluent families face when pursuing professional sports. Reflecting on his own experiences and comparing them to today’s privileged kids, he said, “In my sport, the rate of kids coming and making it big from an affluent background is rare.”
He went on to explain the reasons behind this, saying, “If my son goes for training in a Range Rover, asks the driver to set the temperature to 18 degrees, drinks a protein shake, and takes a nap on the way — when he reaches the ground and the coach abuses him or he gets hit by an elbow, it will affect him more because it’s a new experience for him.”
Chhetri compared this to his own experiences as a young player, “When we used to go for training, you took two shots from the conductor in the DTC bus. It was normal. You reach there, the coach gives you two shots, it’s normal. You eat in the ground, you eat this and that, it’s normal, you’re back home,” he said. “We didn’t have the comfort that kids from affluent families have today.”
He explained how this difference in lifestyle creates a deeper hunger and desire in less privileged kids, “When the other kid goes to the ground, he’s thinking, this is the only thing that can save him. He wants to become a big player because he knows this is the only way to change his life,” Chhetri said.
“But for the kid from an affluent family, how will his life change? He already has a big house, cars. It’s not his fault that he was born there,” he added.
Chhetri believes that children from poorer backgrounds often have a greater drive to succeed in sports because they see it as their only way out.
“So when he reaches the ground, he knows how much he’s been abused, what lies he’s said, and how he’s reached the ground. He knows that this is his only way out. That hunger is much higher,” he explained.
Chhetri’s insights into the world of football in India, particularly in terms of talent scouting, reinforce the importance of recognizing talent from lesser-privileged areas.
“If it’s not a fancy place, wherever there are genuine academies, the number of kids coming from not so affluent families is huge. And it’s the same in all sports Wherever there’s contact, it becomes that much more difficult. For example, if you compare it with chess. The contact is less. So there will be, you know, the difference is not that much. But anywhere where there’s a contact sport, it becomes difficult. I’m not saying impossible. Difficult for kids who are from affluent family. They are not used to their lifestyle,” he said, emphasizing that kids from tier 2 towns often have a burning desire to succeed.
Chhetri’s football career has been nothing short of spectacular. Over a 19-year-long career, the Arjuna Award winner has scored 94 goals in 150 international matches, making him the most-capped Indian footballer and the fourth-highest goal-scorer on the global stage. He led India to victories in the 2007, 2009, and 2012 Nehru Cup, the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup, and multiple SAFF Championship titles. His achievements also include winning the Khel Ratna Award in 2021, India’s highest sporting honor.
Chhetri’s journey, from struggling financially to becoming a football legend, is a story of determination, discipline, and the hunger to succeed. His reflections offer valuable insights into the challenges faced by aspiring athletes in India and the importance of perseverance, no matter one’s background.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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