Mumbai: Indian National Team Captain Sunil Chhetri has been declared the ‘AIFF 2014 Player of the Year.’ Chhetri was chosen the winner on basis of votes from Coaches from I-League Clubs.

Chhetri, who had also won the Award in 2013 will be presented a prize of Rs. 2 lakh besides a Trophy. This is his third ‘AIFF Player of the Year Award’ for him in four Years and fourth overall. In the process, he overtook IM Vijayan’s feat of winning it three times.

Chhetri had earlier won the Award in 2007, 2011 and 2013 while Vijayan had won it in 1992, 1997 and 2000.

In 2014, Chhetri finished as the highest Indian goalscorer in I-League 14 goals and also stays the highest ever Indian goalscorer in International Football.

Besides, Manipur Striker Bala Devi was declared the ‘2014 AIFF Woman Footballer of the Year.’ In 2014 Bala Devi scored 16 goals to help India retain the SAFF Women’s Crown in Islamabad. The 24-year old Bala Devi would be presented Rs. 1 lakh besides a Trophy.

AIFF also declared Sandesh Jhingan was the ‘2014 Emerging Footballer of the Year.’

Furthermore, Western India Football Association (WIFA) bagged the ‘Award for the Best Grassroots Development Programme.’ In 2014, WIFA conducted 19 Grassroots Festivals and 5 GR Courses besides training 128 Grassroots Leaders.

The ‘Award for long time contribution to Indian Football’ has been awarded to ONGC.

Furthermore, Kerala’s Santosh Kumar was declared the ‘2014 AIFF Best Referee’ while Manipur’s Sapam Kennedy was declared the ‘2014 AIFF Best Assistant Referee.’

All the Awards would be presented in an Awards Night early in 2015.

AWARDS AT A GLANCE:

2014 AIFF Player of the Year: Sunil Chhetri

2014 AIFF Women’s Footballer of the Year: Bala Devi

2014 Emerging Player of the Year: Sandesh Jhingan

Award for Best Grassroots Development Programme: WIFA

Award for long time contribution to Indian Football: ONGC


PREVIOUS WINNERS OF AIFF PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

1992: IM Vijayan

1993: VP Sathyan

1994: Jo Paul Ancheri

1995: Bhaichung Bhutia

1996: Bruno Coutinho

1997: IM Vijayan

2000: IM Vijayan

2001: Jo Paul Ancheri

2002: Deepak Mondal

2003: Tomba Singh

2004: S. Venkatesh

2005: Climax Lawrence

2006: Surkumar Singh

2007: Sunil Chhetri

2008: Bhaichung Bhutia

2009: Subrata Paul

2010: Gouramangi Singh

2011: Sunil Chhetri

2012: Syed Rahim Nabi

2013: Sunil Chhetri