Sunil Chhetri is on the verge of surpassing Bhaichung Bhutia’s record

India and Bengaluru FC captain Sunil Chhetri is on the verge of surpassing Bhaichung Bhutia’s record of scoring most goals by an Indian in a single edition of the National Football League (NFL) or I-League. The Indian football icon scored 14 goals for JCT in the inaugural NFL season in 1996-97 and that tally is yet to be bettered.
Bhaichung and Sunil Chettri - Photo Credit: AIFF Media
Bhaichung and Sunil Chettri - Photo Credit: AIFF Media

Sunil’s current tally this season is 13 and he has four matches to score two more and break the 17-year long record. The Arjuna Awardee has already equalled the record of most goals scored by an Indian in a single I-League season (since 2007-08).
Previously Mohammed Rafi (Mahindra United – 2009-10) and Jeje Lalpekhlua (Indian Arrows – 2010-11) have scored 13 each in one campaign.
Sunil is also aiming to become only the third Indian to finish as the highest scorer in a single NFL or I-League season and the first to do so in the I-League era. The first two editions of the NFL – Bhaichung Bhutia (1996-97) and Raman Vijayan (1997-98) – saw Indians finishing as top scorers but for the last 15 seasons that accolade has gone to a foreigner.
Here is a complete list showing the Indian highest scorer in each campaign. Bhaichung has been the top scorer from India on five occasions while Sunil and Raman Vijayan have achieved it twice each with the former set to do it for a third time this season.
SeasonPlayerGoals
1996-97Bhaichung Bhutia (JCT)*14
1997-98Raman Vijayan (FC Kochin)* 10
1998-99Raman Vijayan (East Bengal)10
1999-00Francis Silveira (Churchill Brothers)10
2000-01RC Prakash (Mohun Bagan)10
2001-02Praveen Kumar (Punjab Police) & Alex Ambrose (Salgaocar)7
2002-03Ashim Biswas (Tollygunge Agragami)11
2003-04Bhaichung Bhutia (East Bengal)12
2004-05Bhaichung Bhutia (East Bengal)9
2005-06Bhaichung Bhutia (East Bengal)12
2006-07Sunil Chhetri (JCT)11
2007-08Bhaichung Bhutia (Mohun Bagan)9
2008-09Sunil Chhetri (East Bengal)9
2009-10Mohammed Rafi (Mahindra United)13
2010-11Jeje Lalpekhlua (Indian Arrows)13
2011-12CS Sabeeth (Pailan Arrows)9
2012-13CK Vineeth (United SC)7
2013-14Sunil Chhetri (Bengaluru FC)**13
* Finished as overall highest scorer
** Season still active
13 more
The reigning AIFF player of the year still needs 13 more goals to become the highest Indian scorer in the combined history of the NFL and I-League. Unsurprisingly that record also belongs to Bhaichung, who has scored 88 times, playing in 12 editions for four different clubs – JCT, East Bengal (three spells), Mohun Bagan (two spells), and United Sikkim (as player, coach and co-owner).
Sunil is also in his 12th top-flight campaign and has featured for seven different clubs – Mohun Bagan (twice), JCT, East Bengal, Dempo, United SC, Churchill Brothers and Bengaluru FC and has 76 goals to his name. In two of those seasons he has played on loan from foreign clubs in only the latter parts of the campaign – (Kansas City Wizards to United SC in 2010-11) & (Sporting Lisbon ‘B’ to Churchill Brothers in 2012-13).
Source:Sportskeeda


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