Sunil Chhetri is AIFF Men’s Footballer of the Year for record seventh time

Manisha Kalyan was conferred the Women’s Footballer of the Year award by the All India Football Federation.

3 minBy Utathya Nag
India's Sunil Chhetri celebrates a goal (Photo: AIFF)

Indian football team talisman Sunil Chhetri was named the AIFF Men’s Footballer of the Year for 2021-22 on Tuesday while Manisha Kalyan won the Women’s Footballer of the Year award.

Started in 1992, the winners of the AIFF Player of the Year Awards were nominated by Igor Stimac and Thomas Dennerby, the Indian men’s and women’s national team coaches, respectively.

This was Sunil Chhetri’s record seventh AIFF Men’s Footballer of the Year award, having won it previously in 2007, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017 and 2018–19. No other player has won it more times than the 38-year-old veteran.

India defender Sandesh Jhingan had won the All India Football Federation honour for the 2020-21 season.

“Sunil was our highest goal-scorer, scoring five goals, and also the Player of the Tournament in the SAFF Cup,” Igor Stimac said. “Furthermore, he led from the front scoring four goals in three games in the third round of AFC Asian Cup qualifiers in Kolkata. His commitment, leadership, discipline and hard work were impressive throughout bad and good times.”

Sunil Chhetri is currently third after Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the list of highest goal scorers in international football among active players and sixth on the all-time leaderboard.

Chhetri has been the centrepiece of the Indian football team for years now and recently helped India qualify for the AFC Asian Cup 2023, to be held in June next year.

Manisha Kalyan, who won the 2021-22 AIFF Women’s Footballer of the Year, was the recipient of the Women’s Emerging Footballer of the Year from last season.

“Manisha has come up with some outstanding performances for the national team and also her club,” Thomas Dennerby stated. “She has scored goals, and also assisted on a regular basis. 

“Blessed with excellent speed and being a good dribbler, she has the potential to play in bigger leagues in the future. She’s young, and still developing but has been our best player,” Dennerby added.

Manisha recently signed for Cypriot club Apollon Ladies, who won the 2020-21 Cypriot top division and will play in the qualifying rounds of the 2022-23 UEFA Women's Champions League.

Meanwhile, Vikram Pratap Singh and Martina Thokchom were named the 2021-22 Men’s and Women’s Emerging Footballer of the Year, respectively.

Vikram Pratap Singh contributed immensely to Mumbai City FC's success last season with three goals in 22 appearances in the Indian Super League. He was also an important player for the Islanders in the AFC Champions League and played a crucial role in India’s AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers, scoring one goal.

Martina, 17, is considered one of the rising Indian midfielders in women's football. She has already earned her first India cap for the senior team and has been regular since then. The teenager from Manipur also put up a stellar performance for the Indian Arrows in the Indian Women's League (IWL).

AIFF Player of the Year Award winners for 2021-22

AIFF Men’s Footballer of the Year 2021-22: Sunil Chhetri

AIFF Women’s Footballer of the Year 2021-22: Manisha Kalyan

AIFF Men’s Emerging Footballer of the Year 2021-22: Vikram Partap Singh

AIFF Women’s Emerging Footballer of the Year 2021-22: Martina Thokchom