In a country obsessed with cricket, there are only a few athletes from other sporting fields that get remembered. One such name is Sunil Chhetri. The Indian striker, has been an all-time top goal scorer for the national team. 51 goals in 91 appearances is no mean feat! Besides his many victories, Sunil has also been named the AIFF player of the year four times and has captained the Indian national team from 2011 to 2016. From playing for famous international clubs, to being a part of Bengaluru FC, there have been many highs in his career graph. As we attempt to decode the man behind jersey no.11, we bring you his real tale of perseverance and success.

The Beginning

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Coming from a family that was actively into sports, it was very natural for Sunil to follow suit. His father KB Chhetri, a retired army officer, played for the Indian Army’s team. Since the time he was a child, Sunil actively participated in all kinds of sports. Later when his parents asked him to stick to one specific sport, he picked football as his one true calling. Naturally, he turned to his father for guidance. His father was not only his first coach and mentor but was also his biggest critic. Sunil focussed on his game and achieved victory majorly due to his father’s dedication and interest in his professional career.

Even after all these years, whenever Sunil goes back home, he makes sure to indulge in a competitive round of football with his family, including his mother who he says is a tough competitor.

The Lessons That Came With Football

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From a brash kid to a focused adult, Sunil’s journey has been a remarkable one, all thanks to football. He says, “Football helped to frame my mindset and gave me the strength to handle failure. I learnt how to focus on goals, and that helped me focus on my life goals.”

Sunil is forever indebted to the game that taught him important values like teamwork, leadership, and commitment. 

His NIKEiD

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When it came to choosing his gear, Sunil decided to go with the best. He chose the Mercurial Vapor XI FG. Talking about his choice of shoes, Sunil is happy to reveal that he loves to play football wearing these shoes. He says, “FG stands for Firm Ground, which is the surface I play on. I customized them to a black base with hints of red. I personalized them with SC11 written in white.”

The Story Behind The Number 11

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When Sunil first joined Mohun Bagan, jersey number 9 and 10 weren't available. He was the striker for the team and these numbers were his first preferences. Since he was sulking over the unavailability, his dad told him to approach the situation in a different manner. He decided that numbers can't affect his success, and he simply picked a random number. He says, “The way Baichung did with the number 15 at East Bengal FC, I took up the challenge. Number 11 was available and I chose that number and decided to own it in a way that really mattered. I have continued to wear it ever since.”

Now just like Sunil, you can also create your own custom iDs at Nike.com.