New Delhi: Mohun Bagan and Chennaiyin FC striker Jeje Lalpekhlua has been nominated as the ‘2016 AIFF Player of the Year’, it was announced Wednesday. The women’s ‘Player of the Year’ award went to Orissa’s Sasmita Malik. She will get `2 lakh in cash besides a trophy.
Jeje, the 25-year-old from Mizoram will be presented a prize of `2.5 lakh along with the glittering trophy, AIFF president, Praful Patel declared at the end of the AIFF AGM here.
“It’s the award which every Indian footballer looks forward to. It feels great and I am thankful to all my coaches who put their faith on me,” Jeje said in an AIFF release. “I am also immensely grateful to AIFF because it was there the journey began from. The Academy in Goa under Colm Toal laid the platform for me and so many others to dream about bigger things.
“Awards motivate you and it feels great when your hard work gets recognised. I am extremely thrilled about joining the elite list. If you look at the ones who have received the AIFF ‘Player of the Year Award’ in all the previous years, I found out they all are my idols,” he added.
Jeje also thanked his teammates for helping him go through a successful season. “I have been very fortunate to have an amazing bunch of players around me, right from Mohun Bagan to Chennaiyin FC to the national team.
“It’s like a cohesive unit who gel well quintessentially. I also want to take this opportunity to thank all my teammates. Without their support, this award could not have seen the daylight.”
AIFF also awarded ‘2016 AIFF Award for Special Recognition’ to Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and Uvena Fernandes. They will be bestowed with `1,00,000 lakh and a trophy apiece.
Gurpreet represented Stabaek FC in the Europa League, the first Indian to feature in an ‘Europa League’ fixture, whereas Uvena was was the first Indian to officiate in a World Cup final match. She officiated the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2016 final in Jordan.
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