Bangalore: India's soccer star Bhaichung Bhutia is getting married on December 30, 2004 but says that he will skip the honeymoon in preference for playing in the National Football League commencing next month.

"No, I am not going on honeymoon as NFL is starting in January," the genial striker said in Bangalore today (Dec 1, 2004).

Sikkim-born Bhutia had been courting Madhuri, a Maharashtrian, for "quite a long time" - for the past seven-eight years. She is a hotelier.

It was not love at first sight, the 1976-born player confesses. We met through common friends. We just became friends and slowly... (love blossomed) added Bhutia, who plays for East Bengal, the team from Kolkata.

The traditional Sikkim wedding would be held in Kolkata, says the first Indian player ever to play in English Football League.

Bhutia had played for Second Division English Club Bury and also Malaysian Club Perak. He first played for East Bengal when he was only 16.