India’s celebrated footballer Sunil Chhetri announced his wife’s pregnancy during the India vs Vanuatu match as part of Intercontinental Cup 2023. After scoring the lone goal in the 81st minute, Sunil picked up the ball and placed it inside his jersey, celebrating his wife Sonam’s pregnancy. She was seen clapping from the stands
The third edition of the Intercontinental Cup, a 4-nations football tournament is being held at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. The final match will take place on June 18. India is currently leading the points table. Lebanon, Mongolia, and Vanuatu are also playing in the tournament
Padma Shri awardee Sunil Chhetri, who was honoured by FIFA in 2022, is not the only footballer to have announced his wife’s pregnancy on the field. Here are some other footballer who have announced their wife/partner’s pregnancy in a similar fashion
Portuguese player Christiano Ronaldo, who is currently playing for Al-Nassr FC, had announced his partner Georgina Rodriguez’s pregnancy in 2016 while playing a club match. Georgina later gave birth to their daughter Alana Martina
Lionel Messi also placed the football inside his jersey in 2012 to announce his wife Antonela Roccuzzo’s first pregnancy. Messi’s gesture came after scoring in Argentina's 4–0 win against Ecuador on 2 June 2012, before confirming the pregnancy in an interview two weeks later. Their son was named Thiago
British player and Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey paid a sweet tribute to his then-pregnant wife as he scored the final goal in the Gunners' match against Watford in 2015. Aaron's wife Colleen was 37 weeks pregnant with the couple's first child
In 2016, with a pregnant belly goal celebration and thumb-sucking gesture, Polish striker Robert Lewandowski revealed his wife Anna was pregnant with their first child. She gave birth to a girl in 2017 who was named Klara Lewandowski. Three years later, she gave birth to another girl child named Laura Lewandowski
Brazillian footballer and Newcastle United midfielder Joelinton had announced his wife Thays Gondim’s pregnancy in 2022. He was then playing for Magpies. While scoring a thumping header past Foxes goalkeeper Danny Ward, he picked up the ball and put it up his shirt, ran towards a camera with his thumb in his mouth and made a heart with his hands
English player Jarrod Bowen announced his girlfriend Dani Dyer’s pregnancy as he marked his sixth goal of the season by grabbing the ball and putting it up his shirt then sucking his two thumbs - in reference to the two new babies on the way. Love Island star Dani gave birth to twin girls in May