MUMBAI: Since Wednesday, fans across the nation have been paying tribute to Sunil Chhetri for scoring a record 90th goal in top flight Indian football which saw him go past former star forward Bhaichung Bhutia's tally of 89 strikes. However, the feat seems to have already been celebrated a while ago by one man in particular - Chhetri's father KB.
Quite simply, because as far as Chhetri senior is concerned, it's been some time since his son took over the mantle of 'top-scoring Indian in the combined history of the NFL and I-League'. The Bengaluru FC forward smiled as he narrated an amusing tale to reporters at Cooperage here on Friday who were keen to hear his thoughts on replacing the 'Sikkimese Sniper' as Bhutia was fondly called.
Was Chhetri aware that he was on the cusp of making history going into the clash with Aizawl FC? "Yeah, that day I was," he replied, explaining that it was Bengaluru FC media manager Kunaal Majgaonkar who 'told me that it's 88 officially' ahead of last weekend's home fixture against Minerva. "My father was counting it 96.He says 'whoever is counting has taken eight goals of yours, I don't know how'. "But only when I was told that it's 88 now and I am one away from Baichung bhai, then it struck me. But as I said, my father is already counting 98 now. He doesn't tell me these things, he tells my Mum and Mum tells me," Chhetri added.