India (Commonwealth Union)_ Bijay Chhetri made history as the first Indian professional footballer to secure a contract with a Latin American club, completing his transfer to Uruguay’s Colon Futbol Club from Chennaiyin FC. His move to Colon Futbol Club involves a one-year loan with the option for a permanent signing in the future. Founded 116 years ago, Colon Futbol Club is a prestigious football club based in Montevideo, currently competing in the second division of Uruguay.
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Chhetri’s journey in professional football commenced at Shillong Lajong U-16 side, where his exceptional talent earned him a swift promotion to the U-18 team. After spending two years at Lajong, he joined Indian Arrows in the 2018-2019 I-League. Unfortunately, an injury prevented him from making any appearances for AIFF‘s developmental side. In 2019, Chhetri joined Chennai City FC and made his debut against Aizawl FC in the same season. He subsequently played for Real Kashmir for two seasons (2020-2021 and 2021-2022) before joining Sreenidhi Deccan for the 2022-2023 season.
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Chhetri’s journey then led him to Chennaiyin FC in 2023, where he showcased his talent in the Indian Super League. Notably, his elder brother, Ajay Chettri, also plays for East Bengal in the ISL. Vita Dani, co-owner of Chennaiyin FC, expressed her delight at Chhetri’s milestone accomplishment. She said, “We are extremely proud to see Bijay make his way to one of the world’s biggest football nations. I wish Bijay the very best and we are all hoping for his success as he makes history as the first Indian player to secure a contract with a Latin American club”.
Marcelo Rifas, director of Colon Futbol Club, expressed confidence in Chhetri’s abilities and emphasized his potential as a key player for their team. He noted that the club sees his signing as an opportunity to explore new talent pools and expand their recruitment strategies. He added, “Now we sincerely hope he can come at the earliest and get integrated into our team. We see him as a solid first team player for us. It also helps us open a line of sourcing players from a new marketplace”. Chennaiyin FC, known for their commitment to upskilling young Indian talents, signed Chhetri in July last year. Under the guidance of expert coaches, the 22-year-old defender from Manipur has been honing his skills and preparing for the next phase of his career.
Expressing his excitement about the new chapter in his professional journey, Chhetri acknowledged the support of Chennaiyin FC management and his agency Soccer Consultants Group in facilitating the transfer. He aims to perform well, not only for Colon FC but also to pave the way for future Indian players to seek opportunities abroad. He said, “I wish to sincerely thank Vita Dani and the Chennaiyin FC management along with my agency Soccer Consultants Group for facilitating the transfer. Without their help it wouldn’t have been possible”.
