MUMBAI, MARCH 26
The Kansas City Wizards announced on Friday that Indian forward Sunil Chhetri has agreed in principle to terms with Major League Soccer for a 4-year period, pending his P-1 Visa and ITC approval. Chhetri will be unavailable to play in the Kansas City Wizards opener versus D.C. United at home on Saturday.
“One thing we really like about Sunil is that he’s a crafty player,” Wizards manager, Peter Vermes said. “Technically he’s very sharp, and he’s a guy that has good attacking tendencies.”
Currently one of India’s best and most recognizable players, Chhetri began his professional career in 2002 with Indian side Mohun Bagan, scoring eight goals in 18 appearances over three years with the team.
Chhetri continued his time in India with JCT FC, Kingfisher East Bengal FC and Dempo SC, making 75 appearances and scoring 35 goals over the next five years, earning Indian Player of the Year honours from the All India Football Federation (AIFF) in 2007. In 2009, Chhetri won two awards, India Player of the Year and the Fans Player of the Year.
During this time, Chhetri drew interest from British clubs Leeds United and Glasgow Celtic and trialed with Coventry City and Queen’s Park Rangers in the Coca-Cola Championship in England.
Chhetri was offered a contract by QPR, but could not complete his move after the English Home Office denied him a work permit due to India’s place in the most recent FIFA world rankings.
Chhetri has been a regular with the Indian National team since 2004, scoring 16 goals in 35 appearances for his country. His most famous moment with the team came in 2008, when he scored a hat-trick in the final of the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup against Tajikistan. Because of India’s victory in that tournament, the team will compete in the 2011 edition of the Asian Cup, a tournament for which the team had not qualified since 1984.
Presently, Chhetri is widely considered to be the successor to Baichung Bhutia as the “face” of Indian soccer. Bhutia, India’s record-holder in caps and goals, is one of only two other Indian players to have played abroad after joining Bury F.C. in England for three seasons from 1999 to 2002. Mohamed Salim had a successful stint with Celtic in the pre-Independent India.
“I am very happy and optimistic,” Chhetri said about playing for the Wizards. “I’m looking forward to getting to know my teammates and the city of Kansas City, and I am going to come to training and give my best everyday.”
With the signing, Chhetri becomes the eighth citizen of an Asian country and the first Indian to play in MLS. He will also be the first Asian citizen to play for the Kansas City Wizards and the second Indian soccer player ever to ply his trade outside of his home nation. Currently Major League Soccer has representatives from over 55 different countries playing for the 16 clubs.
Chhetri will become the third Indian-born professional athlete currently in American professional team sports, with Pittsburgh Pirates minor-league pitchers Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel being the other two. NFL linebacker Brandon Chillar of the Green Bay Packers and former NFL wide receiver Sanjay Beach are both of Indian descent as well.