AIFF Footballer of the Year 2022: Sunil Chhetri, Manisha Kalyan bag top honours

Indian football national captain Sunil Chhetri was named the AIFF Men's Footballer of the Year for the seventh time, as the AIFF Footballer of the Year awards were rolled out on Tuesday. At the same time, Manisha Kalyan won her maiden honour in the women's category for the bygone season, winning the AIFF Women's Footballer of the Year recognition. Chhetri and Kalyan were nominated the winners by their national team coaches, Igor Stimac and Thomas Dennerby. Chhetri is the third highest goal scorer in international football among active players and first won the award in 2007. He also won it during the 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018-19 seasons.

"Sunil was our highest goal-scorer, scoring five goals, and also the Player of the Tournament in the SAFF Cup. 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," said Stimac.

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For Kalyan, it was her first-ever award of the same. She had won the Women's Emerging Footballer of the Year a couple of seasons back, in 2020-21. "Manisha has produced outstanding performances for the National Team and her club. She has scored goals and also assisted regularly," said Dennerby.

"Blessed with excellent speed and being a good dribbler, she has the potential to play in more significant leagues in the future. She's young and still developing but has been our best player," Dennerby added. Kalyan recently signed a multi-year contract with Cypriot top division winner Apollon Ladies, earning a place in the 2022-23 UEFA Women's Champions League qualifiers.

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In other categories, Martina Thokchom won the 2021-22 Women's Emerging Footballer of the Year award, while Vikram Partap Singh won the Men's Emerging Footballer of the Year for the last season, selected by the two national team coaches again.
     
AIFF Awards (2021-22)
Women's Footballer of the Year: Manisha Kalyan
Men's Footballer of the Year: Sunil Chhetri
Women's Emerging Footballer of the Year: Martina Thokchom
Men's Emerging Footballer of the Year: Vikram Partap Singh
Best Referee of the Year: Crystal John
Best Assistant Referee of the Year: Ujjal Halder

(With inputs from PTI)

• AIFF Footballer of the Year 2022
• Manisha Kalyan
• Sunil Chhetri
• india
• football
• sports