BENGALURU: Indian men’s football team captain Sunil Chhetri on Tuesday signed a three-year deal with German sportswear brand PUMA.
Chhetri, who is Indian football’s most recognised face, joins the brand’s roster of global players like Antoine Griezmann, Romelu Lukaku, Luis Suarez and Sergio Aguero, among others.
India’s most popular footballer and the country’s best striker, Chhetri captains the national team as well as Hero Indian Super League side Bengaluru FC. He is the most-capped player and also the all-time top goal scorer for the Indian team.
Chhetri was conferred with the Arjuna award in 2011 and Padma Shri in 2019 and has been named All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) Player of the Year six times.
“I am excited to join the PUMA family. Over the years, I have closely witnessed and experienced the brand’s football heritage. Now signing with them as a PUMA player is a very natural progression for me,” Chhetri said.
“We share a common goal to accelerate the growth of football in the country. I appreciate their commitment to the sporting ecosystem and look forward in creating a new chapter for Indian football,” he added.
This partnership extends PUMA’s legacy with Indian football. From its longstanding association with Bengaluru Football Club since 2014 to individual agreements with players like Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Dheeraj Singh Moirangthe, Nishu Kumar and Rahul Bheke, the brand aims to further its commitment to the sport and talent.
Abhishek Ganguly, managing director, PUMA India, said: “Sunil Chhetri is synonymous with football. A living legend and an inspiration for the youth, he has made a huge impact. His passion is very much in line with PUMA’s vision.”
PUMA’s roster of Indian athletes includes, among others, Team India cricket captain Virat Kohli, boxing champion MC Mary Kom and ace sprinter Dutee Chand.
