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Born: December 15, 1976, Tinkitam, Sikkim
Major Teams: East Bengal Club, JCT Mills, Mohun Bagan AC, Bury FC, India
Playing Position: Striker
Achievements:First Indian to play professional football in England; led the national football team to title triumph at the LG Cup in Vietnam in 2002; led East Bengal club to LG Asean Club Cup football championship victory in Jakarta in 2003
No other Indian footballer has reached such dizzying levels of fame and stardom as has Baichung Bhutia-the poster boy of Indian football. Ever since he burst into the national scene as a prodigious talent, Baichung has taken Indian football to new heights.
Baichung came into national reckoning by dint of a sterling performance in the 1992 Subroto Cup school tournament. In 1993, at the age of sixteen, he joined the Calcutta city giants East Bengal Club. In 1995, Baichung moved to JCT Mills, Phagwara and helped the team win the National Football League where he emerged as the leading goal-scorer. In the same year Baichung made his international debut in the Nehru Cup.
In 1999, Bhutia became the first Indian to play professional football in England when he joined the English second division side FC Bury. In 2002, Baichung led the national football team to a rare title triumph at the LG Cup in Vietnam.
Next year, under Baichung's inspirational leadership East Bengal became the first Indian club to win an international title when they clinched the LG Asean Club Cup football championship held in Jakarta.
