Indian superstar Sunil Chhetri is the God of ISL. He is the current captain of Bengaluru FC and is the second-highest goal-scorer in the history of the Indian Super League.
The Indian Super League has seen several superstars over the years. From legends with worldwide reputations like Diego Forlan, Roberto Carlos, Alessandro del Piero, Lucio, and Dimitar Berbatov among others to several unknown names who grew into genuine superstars in this league like Iain Hume, Ferran Corominas, Bartholomew Ogbeche, Roy Krishna, and Hugo Boumous among others.
However, when it comes to the question of who is the God of ISL, there can only be one answer. Find out below:
God of ISL: Sunil Chhetri
| Season | Matches | Goals | Assists | Total goal contributions | Team’s finish |
| 2015 | 11 | 7 | 1 | 8 | Group stage |
| 2016 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4th in ISL |
| 2017/18 | 21 | 14 | 2 | 16 | Runners Up |
| 2018/19 | 19 | 9 | 3 | 12 | ISL winners |
| 2019/20 | 17 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 3rd |
| 2020/21 | 20 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 7th |
| 2021/22 | 20 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 6th |
| 2022/23* | 7* | 0 | 0 | 0 | TBD |
Indian and Bengaluru FC captain Sunil Chhetri is the God of ISL. One of the most prolific goal-scorers and creators in the history of the league, he has found plenty of successes with Bengaluru FC over the years. Chhetri propelled his side to Indian Super League victory in the 2018/19 season, scoring and assisting 12 goals in 19 matches.
The season before that, Bengaluru FC had finished as runners-up after losing the final 2-3 to Chennaiyin FC. That season was Chhetri’s most productive in ISL history as he scored 14 goals and set up another two for his teammates.
He continued with the same consistency in the next two seasons as well, although with mixed results for his team in the league. In 2019/20, Bengaluru FC finished third in the league while they ended up finishing an underwhelming seventh in 2020/21.
Success has continued to haunt the side since then as they have struggled with consistency and failing to replace several of their former stars in time. Bengaluru finished sixth last season and are struggling this season as well in the Indian Super League.
Despite that, Sunil Chhetri has been through thick and thin for his team in the competition. He continues to be the centre of attention as far as Bengaluru fans are concerned and Chhetri also commands tremendous admiration and love from football fans all over India because of his exploits with the national team.
Sunil Chhetri records and statistics in the Indian Super League
| Rank | Player | Goals | Apps | Ratio | Position | First goal | Last goal |
| 1 | Bartholomew Ogbeche | 55 | 85 | 0.65 | Forward | 2018–19 | 2022–23 |
| 2 | Sunil Chhetri | 51 | 120 | 0.43 | Forward | 2015 | 2022–23 |
| 3 | Coro | 48 | 57 | 0.84 | Forward | 2017–18 | 2019–20 |
| 4 | Roy Krishna | 37 | 66 | 0.56 | Forward | 2019–20 | 2022–23 |
| 5 | Marcelinho | 34 | 87 | 0.39 | Forward | 2016 | 2021–22 |
| Rank | Player | Appearances | Position | First season | Last season |
| 1 | Mandar Rao Dessai | 132 | Defender | 2014 | 2022–23 |
| 2 | Narayan Das | 130 | Defender | 2014 | 2022–23 |
| 3 | Lenny Rodrigues | 128 | Midfielder | 2014 | 2022–23 |
| 4 | Pritam Kotal | 126 | Defender | 2014 | 2022–23 |
| 5 | Harmanjot Khabra | 125 | Defender | 2014 | 2022–23 |
| 6 | Amrinder Singh | 124 | Goalkeeper | 2015 | 2022–23 |
| 7 | Sunil Chhetri | 120 | Forward | 2015 | 2022–23 |
| 8 | Rahul Bheke | 119 | Defender | 2014 | 2022–23 |
| 9 | Sandesh Jhingan | 114 | Defender | 2014 | 2022–23 |
| 10 | Tiri | 110 | Defender | 2015 | 2021–22 |
Sunil Chhetri finds his name in two of the most prominent charts in the history of the Indian Super League. He is currently the second-highest goal-scorer in the league’s history with a combined 51 goals in 120 appearances. Only Bartholomew Ogbeche of Hyderabad FC has scored more goals than him. The Nigerian striker has 55 goals to his name in 85 appearances and also has a better goals-per-game ratio of 0.65. Both Chhetri and Ogbeche are still active in the ISL and the race for the most goals at the top is expected to continue for a while.
Meanwhile, when it comes to the list of players with the most appearances in ISL history, Sunil Chhetri finds his name in seventh place. The Indian captain has played 120 matches so far since 2015. Importantly, the top nine positions in the list of top 10 are all occupied by Indian players.
Former FC Goa player and currently playing for Mumbai City FC, Mandar Rao Dessai, holds the topmost position with 132 appearances in the Indian Super League so far since the inaugural edition of the competition in 2014. Sunil Chhetri, however, is the only forward on the list of players with the most appearances which speaks volumes about his longevity, consistency, and importance.
FAQs
Who is the god of football?
Lionel Messi is the god of football.
Who is the best goalkeeper in ISL history?
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu of Bengaluru FC is the best goalkeeper in ISL history. He is the only player to have won the Golden Glove twice in the league’s history.
Which foreign player has scored the most goals in the Indian Super League?
Bartholomew Ogbeche holds the record for scoring the most goals in the Indian Super League and he has found the back of the net on 55 occasions so far.
How many ISL titles has Sunil Chhetri won?
Sunil Chhetri has won the ISL only once in the 2018/19 season.
