Indian men’s football team captain Sunil Chhetri and women’s footballer Ashalata Devi bagged the top honours at the All India Football Federation’s AIFF Awards on Tuesday. Chhetri was named the men’s footballer of the year, while the title in the women’s category was won by Ashalata.
The Bengaluru FC and India skipper, who scored a brace in India’s loss to Tajikistan in the opening match of the Intercontinental Cup, won the award for the third consecutive year.
Chhetri, with 70 goals for India, is also the second-highest active international scorer — only behind Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo.
Kerala Blaster’s Sahal Abdul Samad won the emerging player of the year award in the men’s category whereas Manipur’s Dangmei Grace won the emerging player of the year in the women’s category.
The full list of awards:
Best Grassroots Development Programme: Jammu & Kashmir Football Association.
Best Referee: R. Venkatesh (Tamil Nadu).
Best Assistant Referee: Joseph Tony from Karnataka
Emerging Women’s Footballer 2018-19: Dangmei Grace (Manipur).
Emerging Men’s Footballer of the Year: Abdul Sahal (Kerala).
Women’s Footballer of the Year: Ashalata Devi.
Men’s Footballer of the Year: Sunil Chhetri.
