The first footballer to be conferred with the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, Sunil Chhetri on Wednesday said the journey that he has been through has been nothing short of a dream.

Since his India debut in 2005, Chhetri has rewritten the country’s football history many times and he has now added another feather in his cap by being named for the country’s highest sporting award. “I am thrilled, I am honoured. I have always said that it is a dream that I have gone through, and it would not have been possible without my family, teammates and coaches,” Chhetri said.