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Goal.com India 2011 Awards : India's Forward Of The Year
Goal.com has a look at the exploits of the best Indian forwards this calender year, followed by its verdict for India's Forward of the Year....
25-Dec-2011 11:25:00 PM
By Ayush Srivastava
AIFF
An eventful year in Indian football has now come to a close. From competing against the elite nations of Asia in January to the country’s FIFA ranking plummeting further, it has been a year of ups and downs for football in the country.
With India having completed all its assignments for the year, Goal.com recognizes the individual performers who have earned laurels for Indian football and offered a tinge of hope to the long suffering football fans in India.
The first category at which we have a look is the striking department. If you are looking for Bhaichung Bhutia then this is the first and last time he is mentioned in this piece. The Sikkimese Sniper retired this year from the national team, bringing to an end a glorious career and leaving a gaping hole in the country’s strike force.
With India having completed all its assignments for the year, Goal.com recognizes the individual performers who have earned laurels for Indian football and offered a tinge of hope to the long suffering football fans in India.
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Goal.com INDIA 2011 Awards
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The first category at which we have a look is the striking department. If you are looking for Bhaichung Bhutia then this is the first and last time he is mentioned in this piece. The Sikkimese Sniper retired this year from the national team, bringing to an end a glorious career and leaving a gaping hole in the country’s strike force.
So which players took on the burden of India’s hopes? Here are the three strikers who made India proud with their exploits on the football field and offered promise for a brighter future.
| 1 Sunil Chhetri |
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Age: 27 Position: Striker Club: Mohun Bagan Chhetri is the man on whom the mantle of being India’s new talisman has fallen. And boy has he delivered! Starting off from the Asian Cup, where he scored two goals for the country, the Mohun Bagan player went on to top score for India this calendar year with 13 goals in 17 games, in a year when he was also instrumental in the country’s successful SAFF Championship campaign, a tournament where he went on to win the title of the Player of the Championship. In what was a glorious year for the former JCT striker, Chhetri also won the Arjuna Award and recently was named as AIFF’s Player of the Year. He also averaged more than a goal per game in the league this calendar year for Chirag United and Mohun Bagan. |
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| 2 Jeje Lalpekhlua |
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Age: 20 Position: Striker Club: Pune FC The Mizorami striker has slotted into the senior Indian team with consummate ease. The Pune FC lad forced himself into the national team reckoning with his stellar performances for the Indian Arrows in the I-League last season, when he finished as the top scorer amongst Indians with 12 goals. He was also awarded the FPAI Young Player Award for 2010-11 and has carried his form into this I-League season with his parent club Pune FC. For the national team, having started off with 4 goals in 3 games during the AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers, he has an average of a goal every two games. Jeje also played a vital part in India’s SAFF Championship triumph recently. |
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| 3 Uttam Rai |
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Age: 15 Position: Striker Club: IMG Academy The Sikkimese lad might not be a household name yet, but he has all the qualities needed to become the next great striking sensation for India. Rai shot to fame in the AFC Qualifiers in Tashkent when he scored 6 goals in 3 matches, including 5 against Kyrgyzstan alone, as he dazzled the crowd with his touch and goal-scoring ability. A trainee at the IMG Academy in Florida, the striker was also named as the “Player of the Year” in all age categories at the academy earlier this year. Having proven himself as a prolific goal scorer in the age group categories, Rai is one talented player worth looking out for in the future. |
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Goal.com’s Forward of the Year
Sunil Chhetri
There is absolutely no doubt that the AIFF’s Player of the Year has been the best forward in India this calendar year. Prolific for both the club and country, Chhetri is a player who shall be instrumental to India’s hopes for success in football for many years to come.
Do YOU agree with Goal.com's choice? Who according to YOU was India's best striker this year? Have YOUR say by commenting below....Download the Goal.com Mobile app, and the world of football will be at your fingertips and in your pocket!
Goal.com Poll
Poll runs from 25-Dec-2011 to 27-Dec-2011
Poll runs from 25-Dec-2011 to 27-Dec-2011
Poll: Who Was India's Forward Of The Year?
Jeje Lalpekhlua
80.8%
Sunil Chhetri
16.34%
Uttam Rai
2.85%
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