Baichung Bhutia turns 40

Baichung Bhutia has been synonymous with Indian football for the last two decades. He made over 100 appearances for the national team, and was the first Indian to play for an European club, when he represented FC Bury (1999-2002).

Bhutia was also the first Indian to play for an European club,

Baichung Bhutia has been synonymous with Indian football for the last two decades. He made over 100 appearances for the national team, and was the first Indian to play for an European club, when he represented FC Bury (1999-2002).

In India, he played for JCT Mills, East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, Selangkor MK and United Sikkim. Bhutia scored his first international goal against Uzbekistan in the 1995 Nehru Cup at the age of 19, making him India's youngest goalscorer. He got a fitting farewell from football when India played German giant Bayern Munich in Delhi. Bhutia led the Indian team in that game. He was also included in the Asian Football Hall of Fame in 2014.

Off the field, Bhutia won the dancing reality show Jhalak Dikhla Jaa in 2009. He also fought the Lok Sabha elections in 2014 on a TMC ticket but lost.

Bhutia runs his own football academy but has said that he is not interested in coaching. He wants to develop football at grassroots level.