AIFF Player of the Year Awards
| Sport | Association football |
|---|---|
| Country | India |
| Presented by | All India Football Federation |
| History | |
| First award | Men's (M): 1992 Women's (W): 2001 |
| First winner |
M: I. M. Vijayan W: Bembem Devi |
| Most wins |
M: Sunil Chhetri (7 awards) W: Bala Devi (3 awards) |
| Most recent |
M: Lallianzuala Chhangte (2023) W: Manisha Kalyan (2023) |
| Website | www |
The AIFF Player of the Year Awards are the annual football awards presented to the best footballers in India by the All India Football Federation (AIFF). The AIFF first announced the award for Men's Player of the Year in 1992; I. M. Vijayan was the inaugural winner. Sunil Chhetri has won the award a record seven times. No winner was announced in 1998 and 1999. It was re-introduced in 2000.
The AIFF Women's Player of the Year Award was introduced in 2001. Bembem Devi was its first recipient. No winner was given out from 2002 up to 2012. In 2013, the award was re-introduced and Bembem Devi won it for the second time. Other than Bembem Devi, Bala Devi has also won the award thrice, in 2014, 2015 and 2020−21; Manisha Kalyan won the award twice consecutively for 2021−22 and 2021−23. She also won the 2020−21 Women's Emerging Player of the Year Award. Along with the men's and women's awards, the AIFF Emerging Player of the Year Award for men was introduced in 2013, and a similar award for women was introduced in 2015.
Until 2016, the men's awards were selected on the basis of voting by the coaches of the I-League clubs. Since 2017, coaches of both the I-League and the Indian Super League have voted to select the winner. The women's awards are selected by the head coach of the women's national team in consultation with the AIFF Technical Director.
Men's Player of the Year
I. M. Vijayan was the first player to receive the award in 1992. He was also the first player to win it consecutively in 1997 and 2000 (there was no award in 1998 and 1999). He has won the award three times. Sunil Chhetri has received the award a record seven times: in 2007, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018−19 and most recently, 2021−22. Jo Paul Ancheri and Bhaichung Bhutia are the other players who have won this award more than once.
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Women's Player of the Year
Bembem Devi was the first recipient of the award in 2001. It was not awarded again until 2013, when Bembem Devi retained it. Bala Devi has won the award a record three times: in 2014, 2015 and 2020−21. Manisha Kalyan won the award consecutively for 2020−21 and 2022−23.
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Emerging Player of the Year
| Year | Player | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men | Women | ||
| 2013 | Jeje Lalpekhlua | Not awarded | |
| 2014 | Sandesh Jhingan | ||
| 2015 | Pritam Kotal | Pyari Xaxa | |
| 2016 | Rowllin Borges | Sanju Yadav | |
| 2017 | Anirudh Thapa | Panthoi Chanu | |
| 2018−19 | Sahal Abdul Samad | Dangmei Grace | |
| 2019−20 | Anirudh Thapa | Ratanbala Devi | |
| 2020−21 | Suresh Singh Wangjam | Manisha Kalyan | |
| 2021−22 | Vikram Pratap Singh | Martina Thokchom | |
| 2022–23 | Akash Mishra | Shilji Shaji | |