Mumbai: India national team striker Jeje Lalpekhlua, who scored India’s secondgoal in the recently played international friendly here against Nepal was adjudged the 2016 AIFF Player of the Year. The All India Football Federation conducted the first-ever awards ceremony on Thursday. Sasmita Malik was adjudged the Women’s player of the year.
Sunil Chhetri, India’s profilic goal scorer with 53 goals from 93 matches received a special award. Chhetri is also currently the top Indian scorer in NFL and I-League matches taken together. Chhetri also won the Hero of the I-League award.
Jerry Lalrinzuala of DSK Shivajians who made his India debut against Nepal was declared best emerging player of Hero I-League 2016-17. Khalid Jamil who guided Aizawl FC to I-League triumph was declared best coach in Hero I-League.
“This is a defining year for Indian football as we prepare to host the FIFA U-17 World Cup in less than 100 days. I am confident that with the guidance and support of the Union Government through the Ministry of Sports, we believe we will be able to host the best FIFA U-17 World Cup ever,” AIFF president Praful Patel said.
Selected Awards: Best Home-match organiser: DSK Shivajians & Bengaluru FC Fairplay award: Churchill Brothers FC Goa AIFF Referee of the Year: Pranjal Banerjee Best emerging player: Jerry Lalrinzuala (DSK Shivajians) Best goalkeeper: Debjit Majumder (Mohun Bagan) Best defender: Anas Edathodika (Bagan) Best midfielder: Alfred Kemah Jaryan (Aizawl FC) Best striker: Aser Pierric Dipanda Dicka (Shillong Lajong) Top scorer: Aser Dicka Best coach: Khalid Jamil (Aizawl) Hero of I-League: Sunil Chhetri (Bengaluru FC) Special award for being the first Indian Club in AFC Cup final: BFC Special recognition award: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Uvena Fernandes. Emerging woman player: Sanju Yadav, Emerging men’s player: Rowllin Borges AIFF woman player of year: Sasmita Malik AIFF Player of year: Jeje Lalpekhlua
