Sunil Chhetri signs deal with PUMA, joins elite list that includes Antoine Griezmann, Luis Suarez, Sergio Aguero

Captain of the Indian national football team and Bengaluru FC Sunil Chhetri has joined the elite list of footballers after signing a new deal with sports brand PUMA. The striker penned down the three-year deal on Tuesday with the sports brand that already has European stars like Antoine Griezmann, Romelu Lukaku, Luis Suarez and Sergio Aguero on board. Chhetri is the most-capped player and also the all-time top goal scorer for the Indian team. Named AIFF Player of the Year six times, he was also conferred with the Arjuna award in 2011 and Padma Shri in 2019 among several other coveted sports honors.

The Indian skipper boasts of an impressive record at the international level too. He is currently the second-highest after Cristiano Ronaldo on the list of active international scorers in world football. The 35-year-old said that the move was a natural progression for him and he is excited to join the brand.

"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," said Chhetri.

WATCH Zee Business TV LIVE Streaming Online -

"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 creating a new chapter for Indian football," he added.

PUMA has had a longstanding association with Indian football. It has been associated with Bengaluru Football Club since 2014 and has individual agreements with players like Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Dheeraj Singh Moirangthe, Nishu Kumar and Rahul Bheke. It has also teamed up with athletes from other sports like Virat Kohli, MC Mary Kom and Dutee Chand.

"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," Abhishek Ganguly, Managing Director, PUMA India said.