Subhasish Bose and Soumya Guguloth clinch AIFF Player of the Year honours
Bhubaneswar: Mohun Bagan Super Giant's Subhasish Bose and East Bengal's Soumya Guguloth were honoured with the All India Football Federation's (AIFF) prestigious Men's and Women's Player of the Year awards for the 2024-25 season, held in Bhubaneswar on Friday.
The awards recognised their pivotal contributions to two of the most successful seasons in their clubs' recent history. Bose, the tireless left-back and Mohun Bagan's defensive pillar, played a central role in the club's record-breaking campaign that saw them clinch both the Indian Super League (ISL) Shield and Cup titles.
His leadership and consistency at the back were instrumental as Bagan maintained a stunning 570-minute run without conceding a goal — the longest in ISL history.
Soumya Guguloth, East Bengal's midfield dynamo, was equally influential in the club's maiden Indian Women's League (IWL) triumph. She ended the campaign as the third-highest goalscorer with nine goals, including the decisive strike in East Bengal's 1-0 title-clinching win over Odisha FC on April 11 in Kolkata.
Adding to Mohun Bagan's golden night, Vishal Kaith — also part of the Indian national team alongside Bose — bagged the Best Men's Goalkeeper award. Kaith's 15 clean sheets in 26 games earned him the ISL Golden Glove and underlined his status as one of Indian football's elite custodians.
In the women's category, East Bengal's Elangbam Panthoi Chanu received the Best Goalkeeper honour. Her rock-solid presence in goal, with just 10 goals conceded in 14 matches, proved crucial in East Bengal's march to the IWL crown.
Emerging talent was also celebrated on the night. FC Goa midfielder Brison Fernandes, already named ISL's Emerging Player of the Season, was conferred with the AIFF's Promising Men's Player of the Year award. In the women's category, Toijam Thoibisana Chanu of Sribhumi FC was recognised as the Promising Player of the Year after an impressive campaign as a dependable defender.
Coaching excellence did not go unnoticed either. Khalid Jamil, who orchestrated NorthEast United's surge to the ISL Cup semi-finals and a fifth-place finish in the league, was named Men's Coach of the Year. His team is also in contention for the Super Cup, with the final against FC Goa set for Saturday. Sujata Kar, who helmed Sribhumi FC's campaign, took home the Women's Coach of the Year honour.
Referees and match officials were also acknowledged for their service. Venkatesh R and Tekcham Ranjita Devi were awarded the Best Men's and Women's Referee titles, respectively. Vairamuthu P and Riiohlang Dhar were named the top assistant referees in their respective categories.
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