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The All India Football Federation (AIFF) organised their first ever AIFF Awards in a glittering function in Mumbai in the presence of the entire Indian National Team squad and the National Team coach Stephen Constantine. Among other dignitaries present were the AIFF president Praful Patel, general secretary Kushal Das and senior vice-president Subrata Dutta.
Among the key awardees were India striker Jeje Lalpekhlua, who scored India’s second goal in Tuesday’s international friendly against Nepal, adjudged the 2016 AIFF Player of the Year; Sasmita Malik, adjudged the 2016 AIFF Women’s player of the year and Sunil Chettri, India’s most profilic goalscorer ever with 53 goals from 93 matches, who received a Special Award for surpassing the milestone over the last year. Sunil is also currently the top Indian scorer in the history of the NFL and I-League matches taken together.
Speaking on the occasion AIFF president Praful Patel said, “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. Today is all the more important, because we are celebrating those wonderful players and other key stakeholders of Indian football, without whose tireless efforts, we would not have reached such a stage. I congratulate all award winners for their immense contribution in growing the game in the country and wish them many more such recognitions in the future.”
Indian Football has been on an upswing in recent years, with the National team’s current world ranking of 100, the third best FIFA ranking ever, a huge improvement from the 173 just about two years back.
The sport of Football has also seen a recent surge in popularity with the Union Government led by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) along with the AIFF leaving no stone unturned in this regard with initiatives taken up like Mission XI Million, whose sole aim is to reach out to 11 million kids across the nation.
LIST OF AWARDEES
2016 AIFF Best Grassroots Program of the Year: Punjab
Best Home-match Organiser of I-League 2016-17: DSK Shivajians & Bengaluru FC
I-League Fairplay Award 2016-17: Churchill Brothers FC Goa
2016 AIFF Assistant Referee of the Year: Joseph Tony
2016 AIFF Referee of the Year: Pranjal Banerjee
Long-time Contribution to Indian Football: Nike
Best Emerging Player of I-League 2016-17: Jerry Lalrinzuala (DSK Shivajians)
Best Goalkeeper of I-League 2016-17: Debjit Majumder (Mohun Bagan)
Jarnail Singh Best Defender of I-League 2016-17: Anas Edathodika (Mohun Bagan)
Best Midfielder of I-League 2016-17: Alfred Kemah Jaryan (Aizawl FC)
Best Striker of I-League 2016-17: Aser Pierric Dipanda Dicka (Shillong Lajong FC)
Highest Scorer of I-League 2016-17: Aser Pierric Dipanda Dicka (Shillong Lajong FC)
Syed Abdul Rahim Award for Best Coach in I-League 2016-17: Khalid Jamil (Aizawl FC)
Hero of I-League 2016-17: Sunil Chhetri (Bengaluru FC)
2016 Special Award for being the First Indian Club to play in AFC Cup Final: Bengaluru FC
2016 Special Recognition Award of the Year: Uvena Fernandes
2016 Special Recognition Award of the Year: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu
2016 Emerging Woman Player of the Year: Sanju
2016 AIFF Emerging Player of the Year: Rowllin Borges
2016 AIFF Woman Player of the Year: Sasmita Malik
2016 AIFF Player of the Year: Jeje Lalpekhlua
