Indian Football Captain Sunil Chhetri joins Sporting Clube de Portugal!

In the biggest-ever transfer of an Indian footballer our national football team captain, Sunil Chhetri will be joining Sporting Clube de Portugal (also known as Sporting Lisbon and Sporting CP) this season. Football One, the football arm of new Wizcraft International Entertainment venture Sports One, will facilitate the transfer, giving Sunil Chhetri the opportunity to play in the Portuguese SuperLiga.

Sporting Clube de Portugal has partnered with Football One with the objective to develop football in the Indian market and help develop Indian football talent.

Sporting Club de Portugal is one of the top three clubs in Portugal besides FC Porto and Benfica Lisbon. With football players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Nani, Luis Figo among others who have come out of the clubs football academy, it is considered as one of top academies in the world today.

Luiz Godinho Lopes, Sporting Clube de Portugal president, said, "We are keen to support the development of football in India. We along with our partners Football One, are looking at ways in which we can leverage the technical knowledge and coaching expertise that resides within the club to support Indian football. We will align our efforts with that of AIFF and the vision of its President, to raise the level of the game here in India. We are here for the long term and our signing on Sunil Chhetri is the first of our initiatives."

Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri said, "It is a real pleasure for me and an exciting moment in my career to join a European giant like Sporting Lisbon. I have dreamt of this day and always believed that my time will come. It is now a reality. Sporting Lisbon, my agent Yogesh Joshee from Matchworld and Football One has made it possible for me and I will make it count for India. Thank you so much."

Ashok Rajgopal, Football One CEO, said, "Football One is partnering with Sporting Club de Portugal to support the development of football in India. Our first initiative in this partnership is to facilitate the movement of Sunil Chhetri to play at Sporting Clube de Portugal for the coming season. We are excited to have the Indian football captain playing for one of the top clubs in Portugal, one that has produced some of the top players in international football today."

Football is rapidly gaining interest in India and alongside the professionalism on field there is also a growing need for sports management to effectively administer sports programs, events and sporting associations. Football One will leverage on its network and skills to combine football and entertainment to create and support initiatives that will help popularize the game in India.


About Football One

Football One is a part of Sports One, which is brought together by a group that is passionate about sports. The initiative is promoted by the co-founders and directors of Wizcraft International Entertainment - Andre Timmins, Viraf Sarkari and Sabbas Joseph along with Ashok Rajgopal, former partner with Ernst & Young's media and sports consulting practice.

Sports One works in the areas of sports activation and sports marketing, it marks a confluence between entertainment and sport. The company seeks to establish a holistic 360 degree approach to sports marketing, brand activation, management of sports properties and lending its support to the ever growing sports industry in India. It will also work as a medium to promote Indian talent on an international platform as well as develop the quality of sports in India.