India football skipper and captain of Bengaluru FC, Sunil Chhetri, who turned 38 last week (August 3), is all set to begin another professional season with the 131st edition of the Durand Cup kicking off in Kolkata from Tuesday. And despite being around for a good two decades, this one is special, he says. “The Durand Cup is very special. It is one of the oldest tournaments which in itself is huge, but more so for me because, as a club, we have not won it. Individually too, I’ve been fortunate to win almost all tournaments that one can in India, but the Durand Cup is missing,” said Chhetri during a virtual media interaction organised by BFC in the build-up to the new season, on Sunday. 

Record breaker

Chhetri was recently named All India Football Federation’s Men’s Footballer of the Year (2021-22) for a record seventh time (having previously won it in 2007, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018–19). No other player, since the award’s inception in 1992, has won it more than the star striker. 

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