Indian skipper Sunil Chhetri breaks Brazilian legend Pele's international goal record

Indian football skipper Sunil Chhetri broke legendary Brazilian football player Pele's international goal record on October 13, 2021 during the match against the Maldives in the ongoing 2021 SAFF Championship.

Sunil Chhetri surpassed Pele's International goal record of 77 goals when he scored a goal in the 62nd minute in India's match against the Maldives. 

Chhetri scored another goal after that to take his tally of international goals to 79, becoming the third active international goal scorer in the world. The other two active footballers who are ahead of Chhetri are Argentina's Lionel Messi with 80 international goals and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo with 115 international goals. 

The Indian football captain has also become the joint sixth-highest international goal scorer in the world.

About Sunil Chhetri

•Sunil Chhetri is the current captain of the Indian national football team. He is the most-capped player and all-time top goalscorer for India. 

•He is the third-highest international goal scorer among active players and sixth-highest of all time, as of October 2021. 

•He had helped India win the 2007, 2009 and 2012 Nehru Cup and the 2011 SAFF Championship. 

•He also helped India win the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup, through which India qualified for their first AFC Asian Cup in 27 years.

•Chhetri was named AIFF Player of the Year a record six times in 2007, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017 and 2018–19.

•He was also honoured with the prestigious Arjuna Award in 2011 and the Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award in 2019. 

Top 10 highest international goal scorers

Background 

India defeated Maldives 3-1 on October 13, 2021 to book their spot in the final of 2021 SAFF Championship in Male, Maldives.