Sunil Chhetri Quotes

With Kansas, I had a four-year deal. The initial two months were real tough. I had to adjust a lot. Then, things started looking up.

I am happy and proud to play for my country and my club Mohun Bagan.

If you are a professional player and you are playing in the top professional league, you are sorted financially, which is good.

Even the best and biggest teams in the world do not reach finals of tournaments.

When you are younger, you want to do everything, and you go haywire.

The North East has always been the hub to produce few of the best talents in the country and it is great for the people from the hills to have their own local club to cheer for considering the kind of passion they have for the game.

What the ISL has done is create the hype and buzz around football that it very badly needs.

As long as I am playing competitive football I am happy.

Ordinarily, players fine-tune their match-fitness during the pre-season.

I take my sleep very, very important.

When you are young you tend to do so many things that are not needed. When you get experience, you know what exactly what works for you and you tend to do things that you want.

When I was a young kid, I did not even dream about playing for my country. It was such a farfetched thing to play for India.

I am criticised for not celebrating my goals enough. I am very happy from within, very calm. I just don’t celebrate. I celebrate inside.

I like the celebrations when I see my teammates do it, when I see fellow footballers on the international scene do it. I think it looks good, it suits most of them, if you know what to do, synchronise, then do it.

Talking to a player helps, but in our sport the majority of learning happens from watching another player. You pick up things like being punctual, being nice to everyone, making sure you give your 100 per cent even in training.

The Ronaldo who came to Manchester United had a lot of dribbling, trickery, playing more on the wings and making more assists.

I always believe that there should come a time when your energy, speed, stamina should combine well with your brains.

When I was younger, I used to have more flair, I used to do more tricks, the nutmegs, the step-overs.

I want to believe that I am improving. This is something that I take really seriously.

To go to the field and train and understand when days are less, that’s where experience helps.

When I was 25 and I was told to eat 6 pieces of potato every day, someday it would be 8, someday it would be 10. Not that it’s going to make a big difference. But now when I am told by my nutritionist that you get to eat 6 pieces a day, it’s 6. Done!

You can sometimes play some really good football and not score.

There are phases in life which surface at times, and it makes you understand that despite you working hard, everything what you are doing is probably not enough. That’s when you need to look around, and beyond.

You can say that 2016 was my finest. It went well for the national team, started by winning the SAFF Cup, we reached the finals of AFC Cup, we reached the semis of ISL. I think it was a fruitful season.

If the team keeps changing then everything has to keep changing.

I have been a youngster and I know speeches are boring.

You need to understand what works best for your own body.

I have become vegan – I don’t take dairy or meat. It has helped me a lot in terms of recovery and digestion.

It’s hard for a player to plan for the future, especially in a game like football.

Over the years, all my coaches and my teammates have contributed a lot to shape my career. I can never forget their contribution and help.

I was also a junior and I know how you learn from seniors, that’s how you follow. Speeches don’t work.

We want to play the AFC Cup every year.

If someone told me I could play two Asian Cup finals, I wouldn’t have believed it.

In India, people are really glued to the Premier League and La Liga.

I’m a Bangalore boy.

After the 12th class exam results, I got a call from Mohun Bagan. They saw me at Durand Cup when I was playing for City Club of Delhi. I thought they might want me for SAIL Academy. Never ever I thought Mohun Bagan is calling me for Mohun Bagan!

Little by little, not by making big promises, I need to be calmer, read more, spend more time with my loved ones, and be more mindful about nature and environment.

It doesn’t matter who you are – if you dream big and if you work really hard, you can achieve unimaginable results, and that’s really good for the nation.

Ego is only fine when it is working for your motivation.

If anyone remembers me, it’s about my hard work.

I just enjoy it, I am living a life that I never even dreamt of.

I listen to these comparisons with Cristiano Ronaldo, I’ll be happy and then forget it in five seconds.

There can never be any stop to learn about different cultures by travelling to different places. And whatever comes your way, continue the healthy eating habits.

I have to keep improving myself and challenging myself.

If I do the right things on and off the field that’s how a player is going to learn.

Egos are never nice. I have been a victim of it a lot of times in my career. Whenever I have used it, I have failed.

I don’t think I will ever be content. I am somebody who is always hungry.

When your physical energy and mind combines, it’s great.

The older you get, the better you get.

Without sounding biased, 70 days of football is not enough. Even if Messi plays 70 days he cannot be in the national team. You need to play around the year to be in contention for the national team.

I’m always hungry to score.

When you are in good form, you keep hitting the target. You may have the best match but you may still not have the goals. But scoring is most important and it feels so good that I have been knocking them in. It really boosts the morale.

Football is all about fans.

You have to be tough and have a lot of faith.

I don’t let even a day go by wherein I don’t give at 100 per cent.

I idolised IM Vijayan and Krisanu Dey when I started watching football. After that, it was Bhaichung Bhutia in India and Brazilian Ronaldo abroad.

The joy and love that I get from playing football are unbelievable. It is such a feeling that I want to give everything that I have got. I just enjoy it, I am living a life that I never even dreamt of.

Bob Houghton is a great coach and I am confident that the national team will do well under him.

What we achieve individually is important but it’s never ever more than the team does.

The best part about being in your thirties is you know what works for you.