Sunil Chhetri, the all-time leading scorer for India in international football, has been conferred the first ever Football Ratna honour by Football Delhi, the association governing the sport in the city. Football Delhi president Shaji Prabhakaran, himself a former player of repute and administrator at the All India Football Federation and FIFA, presented the award to Chhetri.

On the occasion, Football Delhi also honoured Shubham Sarangi, youth player from Delhi who is currently with the Delhi Dynamos squad for ISL. Shubham was part of AIFF Youth Academy since the age of 12 and represented India in U-14 and U-17 youth national teams.

Sunil Chhetri

• Popularly known as Captain Fantastic.
• Sunil Chhetri has scored 2nd highest number of goals in international matches among active players after Cristiano Ronaldo.
• He helped India win the 2007 Nehru Cup, 2009 Nehru Cup, the 2012 Nehru Cup as well as the 2011 SAFF Championship.
• He was also one of India’s best players during the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup in which India won the tournament and thus qualified for their first AFC Asian Cup in 27 years
• Chhetri has also been named AIFF Player of the Year five times in 2007, 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2017.