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 Bhutia in 2012 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Bhaichung Bhutia[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 15 December 1976 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Tinkitam, Sikkim, India[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Striker | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1995 | East Bengal | 9 | (17) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1997 | JCT | 20 | (15) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–1999 | East Bengal | 31 | (15) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2002 | Bury | 37 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2003 | Mohun Bagan | 11 | (6) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003 | → Perak (loan) | 8 | (4) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2005 | East Bengal | 38 | (21) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | Selangor MK Land | 5 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | East Bengal | 16 | (12) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2009 | Mohun Bagan | 45 | (19) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2011 | East Bengal | 3 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2013 | United Sikkim | 3 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015 | East Bengal | 0 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 226 | (123) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1996 | India U23 | 4 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–2011 | India | 84 | (27) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | United Sikkim | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018 | Sikkim | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bhaichung Bhutia (born 15 December 1976), also spelled as Baichung Bhutia, is an Indian former professional footballer who played as a striker.[3][4][5][6] Bhutia is considered as the torchbearer of Indian football in the international arena.[7] He is often nicknamed the Sikkimese Sniper because of his shooting skills in football.[8][9] Three-time Indian Player of the Year I. M. Vijayan described Bhutia as "God's gift to Indian football".[10]
Bhutia has had four spells at then I-League side East Bengal FC, the club where he started his career. When he joined English club Bury in 1999, he became the first Indian footballer to sign a contract with a European club and only the second to play professionally in Europe, after Mohammed Salim. Afterwards he had a short loan spell at the Malaysian football club Perak FA. He has also played for JCT Mills, which won the league once during his tenure; and Mohun Bagan, which failed to win the league once during his two spells, in his native India. His international footballing honours include winning the Nehru Cup, LG Cup, SAFF Championship three times and the AFC Challenge Cup. He is also India's second most capped player, with 80 international caps to his name. He is also India's second youngest international goal scorer after Jerry Zirsanga when he scored his first goal against Uzbekistan in 1995 Nehru cup at the age of 18 years 90 days.[11]
Off the field, Bhutia is known for winning the reality television programme Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, which caused much controversy with his then-club Mohun Bagan, and for being the first Indian athlete to boycott the Olympic torch relay in support of the Tibetan independence movement. Bhutia, who has a football stadium named after him in honour of his contribution to Indian football (first player to have such honour while he is still playing), has also won many awards, such as the Arjuna Award and the Padma Shri.[12][13]
In October 2010, he founded Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools in Delhi in partnership with football by Carlos Queiroz and Nike. In August 2011, Bhutia announced his retirement from international football. His farewell match was with the India national team on 10 January 2012 against Bayern Munich at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Delhi.[14]
Bhutia contested in the general election of All India Football Federation (AIFF) for the president post; lost 33–1 to Kalyan Chaubey.[15][16][17] He also served as president of the Sikkim Football Association.[18]
- ^ Hugman, Barry J. (2005). The PFA Premier & Football League Players' Records 1946–2005. Queen Anne Press. p. 59. ISBN 1-85291-665-6.
- ^ a b "IndianFootball.com Profile". IndianFootball.com. Archived from the original on 18 October 2009. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
- ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "NFT player — National team & Club appearances: Bhaichung Bhutia". National Football Teams. Archived from the original on 11 August 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
- ^ "How Bury FC gave Bhaichung Bhutia opportunity to make history in English football". timesnownews.com. Times Now. 28 August 2019. Archived from the original on 15 April 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
- ^ Aigner, Micky (30 September 2003). "Bhutia winds up Perak stint on a sad note". www.indianexpress.com. Pune: The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2009.
- ^ Ghoshal, Amoy; Sengupta, Rahul (6 August 2011). "I-League: There Are Better Players In Indian Football Now – Mohun Bagan Coach Steve Darby". goal.com. Goal. Archived from the original on 25 September 2011. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
- ^ "Padma Shri Bhaichung Bhutia". PIF Academy. Archived from the original on 28 March 2009. Retrieved 8 June 2009.
- ^ "Bhutia expects more international matches after I-League". Indian Express. 5 January 2009. Archived from the original on 17 June 2013. Retrieved 20 June 2009.
- ^ Rahul Bali (19 May 2009). "Bhaichung Bhutia Wants To Leave Mohun Bagan". Goal.com. Archived from the original on 21 May 2009. Retrieved 20 June 2009.
- ^ "'Bhutia is God's gift to Indian football'". Rediff. 23 August 2009. Archived from the original on 26 September 2009. Retrieved 24 August 2009.
- ^ "Who is actually India's youngest goal scorer?". Sportskeeda. 2 January 2016. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
- ^ "Sunita Williams, Baichung Bhutia among Padma awardees". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 26 January 2008. Archived from the original on 29 January 2008. Retrieved 26 January 2008.
- ^ Chaudhuri, Arunava (2000). "National Award winning Footballers". indianfootball.de. IndianFootball. Archived from the original on 1 October 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
- ^ "Baichung to play farewell match against Bayern Munich". The Times of India. The Times Group. 6 December 2011. Archived from the original on 10 December 2011. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
- ^ Sports Desk, FPJ (2 September 2022). "Former goalkeeper Kalyan Chaubey appointed new AIFF President". www.freepressjournal.com. The Free Press Journal. Archived from the original on 4 September 2022. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
- ^ "List of AIFF executive committee members & co-opted eminent players". khelnow.com. Khel Now. 2 September 2022. Archived from the original on 4 September 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
- ^ Media Team, AIFF (3 September 2022). "AIFF Executive Committee appoints Shaji Prabhakaran as new Secretary General". www.the-aiff.com. New Delhi: All India Football Federation. Archived from the original on 4 September 2022. Retrieved 4 September 2022.
- ^ Chatterjee, Triyasha (13 May 2023). "FPAI Awards 2023: Bengaluru FC's Sivasakthi Narayanan wins Young Player of year, Mumbai City FC SWOOP numerous awards – Check Out". insidesport.in. Gangtok: Inside Sport India. Archived from the original on 13 May 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2023.