Mark of a champion

Jeje Lalpekhlua was only 16 when he kicked his way into Indian professional football. Nine years on the 25-year-old Mizoram lad has become one of the most quality strikers in the country. Unlike most footballers Jeje’s entry into top-level football was fast and easy but his professional journey has been more tedious so far. He got into the game at a young age, thanks to his family. During his school days in his small village Hnahthial, he just loved to play football in the rains during the weekends.

That’s his most fun memory from childhood. He soon found himself playing for a local club ‘The Model Sporting Club’ before he got to represent Mizoram U-19 and eventually India U-19 team. From there newly floated and now disbanded I-League club Pune FC picked him in 2007 where he harnessed his skills in the club academy and he was soon a key member of their senior team.

“In my school in Mizoram football was a craze. We used to play every Saturday in the rains and get drenched. We would ensure we played the whole day for maximum fun. After that one thing led to another, I got a chance to play for local clubs and was picked soon for state and Indian U-19 team. Pune FC manager Ashok Kumar spotted me and offered me a chance to play for Pune FC in 2007. From there on I became serious and started working more on my game,” Jeje said.

He was picked by AIFF U-19 team Pailan Arrows on loan and did well there too. He won the Football Players Association of India’s Junior Indian Footballer of the Year award in 2011 before suffering a knee injury. That’s when it got uphill for Jeje. “Luck was on my side and the journey was easy for me. But in 2012 I suffered a serious knee injury, which kept me away from action for four months. It was a difficult period for me. Even after recovering I was getting injured over and over again. I wasn’t able to give my hundred per cent. It took me over a year to make a full comeback,” he said.

The talented striker played for Dempo SC after the injury. He won the AIFF Emerging Player of the Year award in 2013 but his resurgence started when he joined Mohun Bagan for the 2014-15 I-League season. Bagan went on to win the I-league title and the season gave Jeje full belief in him again after injury worries had created doubts in his mind.

“Now I have better physical fitness. I feel stronger and healthier,” he said. He scored four goals for Indian Super League franchise Chennaiyin FC — the most by an Indian in the first season. He topped that with six goals in the second season which was instrumental in Chennaiyin’s title win. He also bagged the Best Emerging Player trophy in ISL 2015. Jeje later led the Indian senior team for the first time against Iran in the 2018 World Cup qualifier game.

He was on target along with Sunil Chhetri against Afghanistan for Indian senior team in a 2-1 win in the Saff Suzuki cup final earlier this year to cap his third title in  a single year. Accolades continued, as he was crowned FPAI’s Indian Player of the Year 2015 recently in Mumbai. His I-league team Mohun Bagan couldn’t defend their (2015-16) title and finished runners up but he is still helping the Mariners in pursuit of Federation Cup title and good showing in the AFC Cup.

Bagan are already in the semi-finals of the Federation Cup and are in the last 16 of the AFC Cup. “It has been a great season for me and also my teams. Since June 2015, I have scored 26 goals in 48 appearances (as on May 9). It is always good to win awards but I have to keep working hard. There is some football still to be played this season for Mohun Bagan in Federation Cup and AFC Cup. I want to do well and help my team win,” said Jeje who has scored five goals in three games of Federation Cup already including a hat-trick.

Jeje has been able to attract Mariners hardcore fans through his consistent performances despite presence of experienced foreign strike force in Sony Norde, Cornell Glen and Katsumi Yusa in their ranks. He was overawed by the presence of star strikers like Stiven Mendoza and Elano Blumer in Chennaiyin FC and has bulged the net on 10 occasions in two ISL seasons besides being involved in many assists. “My stint in ISL has helped me mature as a player. I am in the best team and there are some quality players around. Mendoza is the best to hang out with, he has jokes ready,” he said.

Incidentally, football wasn’t the first sport played by Jeje, he first tried his hand in boxing and then played badminton as well. “I even do boxing today and play badminton during off-season,” he concluded.