The All India Football Federation (AIFF) recently held its annual awards ceremony, recognizing outstanding achievements in Indian football for the 2023-24 season. The top honours went to Lallianzuala Chhangte and Indumathi Kathiresan, who were named the male and female Players of the Year respectively.
Men’s Player of the Year: Lallianzuala Chhangte
Lallianzuala Chhangte, the 27-year-old winger from Mumbai City FC, secured the AIFF Men’s Player of the Year award for the second consecutive time. This achievement makes him only the fifth player to win the award multiple times. Chhangte’s exceptional performance included:
- Scoring 11 goals and providing 7 assists in all competitions for Mumbai City FC
- Being the highest-scoring Indian in the Indian Super League (ISL)
- Scoring against Qatar in Doha during the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in June 2024
Women’s Player of the Year: Indumathi Kathiresan
Indumathi Kathiresan, the 30-year-old midfielder, became the first player from Tamil Nadu to win the AIFF Women’s Player of the Year award. Her accomplishments include:
- Winning the 2023-24 Indian Women’s League (IWL) title with Odisha FC
- Scoring 5 goals in the IWL and winning the Best Midfielder award
- Scoring against Estonia in the Turkish Women’s Cup in February 2024
Promising Players of the Year
Men’s Category: David Lalhlansanga
David Lalhlansanga, the 22-year-old striker from Mohammedan Sporting, was named the AIFF Promising Men’s Player of the Year. His impressive record includes:
- Scoring 34 goals across various competitions (I-League, Calcutta Football League, and Durand Cup)
- Helping Mohammedan Sporting win the I-League and Calcutta Football League titles
- Earning his first national team call-up in May 2024 for the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
Women’s Category: Neha
18-year-old winger Neha received the AIFF Promising Women’s Player of the Year award for her outstanding performances, including:
- Scoring 2 goals in India’s SAFF U19 Women’s Championship triumph
- Contributing 3 goals in Haryana’s run to the Senior Women’s National Football Championship final
- Scoring for HOPS FC in the IWL and being part of the senior India squad for international friendlies
Coaching Excellence
- Men’s Coach of the Year: Khalid Jamil (Jamshedpur FC)
- Women’s Coach of the Year: Sukla Dutta (India U-19 team and Sreebhumi FC)
Other Notable Awards
- Referee of the Year: Ramachandran Venkatesh
- Assistant Referee of the Year: Ujjal Halder
Table of AIFF Award Winners for 2023-24
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Men’s Player of the Year | Lallianzuala Chhangte |
| Women’s Player of the Year | Indumathi Kathiresan |
| Promising Men’s Player of the Year | David Lalhlansanga |
| Promising Women’s Player of the Year | Neha |
| Men’s Coach of the Year | Khalid Jamil |
| Women’s Coach of the Year | Sukla Dutta |
| Referee of the Year | Ramachandran Venkatesh |
| Assistant Referee of the Year | Ujjal Halder |
State Association Awards
The AIFF also recognized various state football associations for their contributions to the sport:
- Most Successful MA (Club Competitions): Indian Football Association (West Bengal)
- Most Successful MA (NFC Competitions): All Manipur Football Association
- Best MA – Supporting Women’s Football: Punjab Football Association
- MA with most player registrations (men’s): Kerala Football Association
- MA with most player registrations (women’s): Western India Football Association (Maharashtra)
Special Recognition
Special awards were given to state governments and associations for their support in hosting various AIFF events:
- Government of Arunachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh Football Association
- Government of Odisha and Football Association of Odisha
- Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council
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