Chhetri, Thapa bag AIFF awards
Hero Indian Super League (ISL) stars Sunil Chhetri and Anirudh Thapa were awarded the ‘2017 AIFF Player of the Year’ and ‘2017 AIFF Emerging Player of the Year’ respectively, at the All India Football Federation (AIFF) executive committee meeting held in Mumbai on Sunday, owing to their fine performances during the 2017-18 season.
Hero Indian Super League (ISL) stars Sunil Chhetri and Anirudh Thapa were awarded the ‘2017 AIFF Player of the Year’ and ‘2017 AIFF Emerging Player of the Year’ respectively, at the All India Football Federation (AIFF) executive committee meeting held in Mumbai on Sunday, owing to their fine performances during the 2017-18 season.
Chhetri’s best campaign to date
Bengaluru FC and Indian national team captain Chhetri had one of his finest individual seasons to date. In Hero ISL 2017-18, debutants Bengaluru FC were the team to beat during the league phase of the season, finishing first in the standings, but narrowly missed out on the title, losing to Chennaiyin FC in the final.
Chhetri was a pivotal figure for Albert Roca’s men, registering 14 goals throughout the campaign and was adjudged the ‘Hero of the League’. The 33-year-old then guided his side to victory in the inaugural Hero Super Cup, scoring crucial goals throughout the campaign, including a stunning hat-trick in the quarterfinals and a brace in the finals.
On the international stage, Chhetri was the star of the Hero Intercontinental Cup, leading India to glory with a victory over Kenya in the Final. The mercurial forward scored a total of eight goals in four games and completed his 100th international cap during the tournament. His performances merited the ‘Hero of the Tournament’ award.
A new star in the making
Chennaiyin FC midfielder Thapa enjoyed a breakthrough season in the 2017-18 campaign. The young stalwart was an integral figure in the Marina Machans squad which won the Hero ISL title. Thapa’s pace and creativity in midfield proved to be a nightmare for opposition defences. The youngster made a total of 16 appearances during the campaign, bagging two goals and an assist to his name.
His performances in the league forced Indian national team coach Stephen Constantine to give him a call-up to the squad. Alongside Pronay Halder, Thapa dominated the midfield area with commanding performances during the Hero Intercontinental Cup. If he can maintain his lofty standards, Thapa will undoubtedly be one of the finest creative forces in Indian football.
