India is a developing nation when it comes to the sport of football as the country is still behind other Asian nations when it comes to the popularity of the sport. Despite this, there have been a number of top players to emerge from the country and here, we take a look at four of the most capped players in their history.
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Sunil Chhetri is without doubt the most popular footballer in India, with the striker a talismanic presence for both club and country. The 37-year-old is not only the most capped Indian player, but also the country’s all-time record goalscorer.
Chhetri has played a key role in all of India’s success in the recent past and it will be interesting to see how many more appearances he makes before eventually deciding to retire from the sport.
Bhaichung Bhutia was the first footballing superstar to come from India and is regarded as a symbol of the rise of the sport in the country with another legend in I.M Vijayan famously calling him, “God’s gift to Indian football”.
The 45-year-old is the only Indian to be inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame and continues to enjoy popularity among football fans in India.
Climax Lawrence is another legend of Indian football, with the former midfielder making 72 appearances for his country between 2003 to 2011.
The 43-year-old was a consistent performer on the field for both club and country, and was also named the 2005 All India Football Federation (AIFF) Player of the Year.
Gouramangi Singh was among the highest paid Indian footballers during his career, and was a dependable presence at the back – with the 36-year-old playing a key role in India’s SAFF Championship and Nehru Cup wins in the 2000s.
Such was his brilliance on the pitch was that he is among a few defenders to have won the AIFF Player of the Year award.
