Indian football captain, Sunil Chhetri is married to Sonam Bhattacharya, the daughter of legendary Mohun Bagan player Subrata Bhattacharya. The couple has a long-standing history, going back to Sunil’s early days at Mohun Bagan.
Sunil started his professional football career at Mohun Bagan when he was just 18 years old. The head coach of Mohun Bagan then was Subrata Bhattacharya and he was highly impressed with Sunil. Sunil Chhetri wife, Sonam Bhattacharya, just 15 years of age at that time, was curious to know who was this new boy, who has impressed his father this much!
Sunil Chhetri and Sonam Bhattacharya: How it all started?
Sonam Bhattacharya said in an interview with Zee 24 Ghanta: “Baba [Subrata Bhattacharya] used to speak a lot about him [Sunil Chhetri] at home. In spite of so many players being in the squad, he kept on speaking about the little boy who was very naughty in training. He would apply hair gel, something Baba couldn’t tolerate. Yet, he loved him so much that he hardly mentioned anything other than him.”
“I was instantly curious. I wanted who find out who this boy was had caught the attention of Baba, so much so that he compared him to Dada [Sonam’s brother].”
“When I first heard about him, matches weren’t broadcasted live. I recall he scored a goal against Tollygunge Agragami, and I saw him for the first time in the newspapers the next day. I called him up after that, and stayed in touch ever since.”
Sunil Chhetri on his love story with Sonam Bhattacharya? 🗣️ : "Sonam stole the number from her father's phone and messaged me and that's how it started, she tricked me with her identity I didn't know coach (Subrata Bhattacharya) had a daughter called Sonam. When i got to know – i… pic.twitter.com/rJOknUbTyF
— 90ndstoppage (@90ndstoppage) November 10, 2023
Sunil Chhetri and Sonam Bhattacharya: Marriage proposal
Sunil revealed how he proposed marriage to his wife Sonam Bhattacharya: “I went to their house at 7:30 am to ask her father. I had a long speech ready. Saheb [Sonam’s brother] was there as well. Coach [Subrata Bhattacharya], seeing me all dressed up, asked me to loosen up and put on some shorts.”
“The 20 lines that I had prepared didn’t work. I said one line and it was done. Generally, when Coach talks to me, I try to speak in Bengali. But when I spoke in English, he knew it was something serious. He told me that he liked me and if we both are happy, you have my blessings.”
The power couple got married in a lavish ceremony in Kolkata on 4th December 2017. They had been in a relationship for 13 years before finally deciding to tie the knot. Their strong bond has helped Sunil through the ups and downs of his career, and Sonam has been a constant source of support for him.
Sunil Chhetri’s mantra to a healthy and long love life
Sunil advised: “The most important thing is hard work. To keep a relationship alive for eighteen years is not easy. You really have to work hard. So just saying “I love you” is easy, but showing it through your actions isn’t as simple.”
“So, we’ve worked really hard, her more than me, to reach where we are today. I’m so glad that she chose me. You’ve got to get your partner right in life. It is very very important. It is more important than what people think.”
Sunil Chhetri and Sonam Bhattacharya expecting their first child
Indian captain Sunil Chhetri scored the winning goal against Vanuatu in the Hero Intercontinental Cup match and celebrated his goal with an ode to his wife Sonam, as she was present in the stadium watching his husband score.
Chhetri celebrated in front of his onlooking wife, with the ball inside his jersey. This was a sign that the couple were expecting their first child. The celebration has become common around the footballing world as a sign of announcing the news of the pregnancy to the fans.
Chhetri said in the post-match interview: “Me and my wife are expecting a baby, this is how she wanted me to announce – it’s for her and the baby. I just hope we got all the blessings and wishes.”
𝗦𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻!🔥🔥#VANIND #IndianFootball #BlueTigers #BackTheBlue pic.twitter.com/Y0MEL3KxLB
— Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) June 12, 2023
“Thank you for the wishes. It was a hard call when to announce to the world. My wife and I have been thinking about it, and we are one of those couples who have received a lot of love and affection from people across the country. So we wanted to tell them, and were also trying to get the timing right. We thought a lot about how to give the good news to everyone, and then eventually went the very footballer way. My wife said to me that as a footballer, I should score a goal and then announce it to the world. I am glad I did not have to make her wait. The day she said it, I scored against Vanuatu in the 18th minute. I ended up doing what I know as a footballer!,” Chhetri said in an exclusive conversation with Boria Majumdar.
A Special Day: The Arrival of the Chhetri Heir
On 31st August, Wednesday morning at precisely 11:11 AM, Sonam Chhetri gave birth to a healthy baby boy. The event was celebrated quietly and without fanfare, a deviation from the norm in today’s world of celebrity social media posts. Sunil Chhetri, known for his humility and focus on the field, chose to keep this precious moment private as well.
Read more: Sunil Chhetri becomes the 5th highest international goalscorer of all time
