Soumya Guguloth, Subhasish Bose get top accolades in AIFF Awards 2025

Bhubaneswar, May 2 (IANS) Subhasish Bose and Soumya Guguloth were named the AIFF Best Men’s and Women’s Players of the Year 2024-25 on the All-India Football Federation (AIFF) Awards Day here on Friday. The award function was held in the Odisha capital on the eve of the Kalinga Super Cup 2025 final.

Apart from Bose and Guguloth, the other individual award winners were Khalid Jamil (Best Men’s Coach), Sujata Kar (Best Women’s Coach), Vishal Kaith (Best Men’s Goalkeeper), Elangbam Panthoi Chanu (Best Women’s Goalkeeper), Brison Fernandes (Promising Men’s Player), Toijam Thoibisana Chanu (Promising Women’s Player), Venkatesh R (Best Male Referee), Tekcham Ranjita Devi (Best Female Referee), Vairamuthu P (Best Male Assistant Referee), and Riiohlang Dhar (Best Female Assistant Referee).

Subhasish Bose became only the seventh defender to win the AIFF Men’s Player of the Year Award after Sandesh Jhingan (2021), Syed Rahim Nabi (2012), Gouramangi Singh (2010), Surkumar Singh (2006), Deepak Mondal (2002) and VP Sathyan (1995).

Bose captained Mohun Bagan Super Giant in a sensational season, winning both the ISL Shield and Cup, while breaking the record for most clean sheets in an ISL season. The 29-year-old also scored six goals for the Mariners. Bose became the first player from West Bengal to win the award since Nabi in 2012.

Soumya Guguloth became the first player from Telangana to win the AIFF Women’s Player of the Year Award. The 23-year-old winger was the Indian top scorer of the IWL this season, netting nine goals to help her side, East Bengal FC, win the title.

Vishal Kaith was named the Best Men’s Goalkeeper after a historic and record-breaking campaign between the sticks for Mohun Bagan SG. He won his second ISL Golden Glove after amassing 15 clean sheets this season and also became the first goalkeeper to reach a half-century of clean sheets in ISL history. Kaith marked his return to the national team starting line-up after seven years with two clean sheets against the Maldives and Bangladesh.

The Best Women’s Goalkeeper was awarded to Elangbam Panthoi Chanu. The 29-year-old kept seven clean sheets in East Bengal’s IWL-winning campaign. Panthoi, who won the Promising Women’s Player Award in 2017, played five matches for India in the past year.

Midfielder Brison Fernandes picked up the Promising Men’s Player of the Year Award. The 24-year-old had a breakthrough season for FC Goa, scoring seven goals and providing two assists in the ISL. Fernandes made his senior India debut in March 2025 against Bangladesh.

The Promising Women’s Player of the Year Award went to 18-year-old defender Toijam Thoibisana Chanu, who became the first center-back ever to win this award. She commanded the Sribhumi FC backline as they finished third in the IWL as a newly promoted side. Thoibisana made her senior India debut in December 2024 against Maldives.

Jamshedpur FC head coach Khalid Jamil was awarded the AIFF Men’s Coach of the Year for the second time running. In his first full season with the Red Miners, he led them to the semi-finals of the ISL and a maiden Kalinga Super Cup final. Jamil has become the head coach with the most wins in Jamshedpur FC’s history.

The AIFF Women’s Coach of the Year was awarded to Sujata Kar, who coached newly-promoted Sribhumi FC to a third-place finish in the Indian Women’s League 2024-25.

Venkatesh R was awarded the AIFF Male Referee of the Year for the second time in a row. He has been an AFC Elite Referee since 2022 and officiated 17 matches in the ISL this season. He also officiated international matches in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers, AFC U17 Asian Cup 2024, AFC U20 Asian Cup Qualifiers, and AFC Challenge League 2024-25.

Tekcham Ranjita Devi, a FIFA International Referee for seven years, was awarded the AIFF Female Referee of the Year. Apart from officiating in domestic tournaments like the IWL and the Rajmata Jijabai Trophy for Senior Women’s NFC, Ranjita refereed internationally in the AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup 2024 and FIFA Friendlies in Nepal.

Vairamuthu P was awarded the AIFF Male Assistant Referee of the Year. He officiated 25 matches in the ISL this season. Internationally, he officiated matches in the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers, AFC U17 Asian Cup 2024, AFC U20 Asian Cup Qualifiers, and AFC Challenge League 2024-25.

Riiohlang Dhar was awarded the AIFF Female Assistant Referee of the Year. In October 2024, she created history by officiating at the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic. She refereed four matches, including the semi-final between Spain and England. Dhar was also a match official at the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup 2024.

Among the Member Associations, the Western India Football Association (Maharashtra) and the Indian Football Association (West Bengal) stood out as shining examples, winning three awards each. While WIFA won the MA with the most player registrations for men, MA with the most player registrations for women, and MA with the most Grassroots activities, the IFA bagged the most successful MA in club competitions, most successful MA in NFC Competitions (joint winners), and the best MA for hosting AIFF competitions (joint winners) awards.

Addressing the function, AIFF President, Kalyan Chaubey, said, “First of all, I would like to thank the Government of Odisha for hosting the Kalinga Super Cup 2025 in a very successful manner. Odisha is a state that has the best football infrastructure and always promotes the sport in various ways. I can proudly say that football has a bright future in Odisha. Last year we had the awards night in New Delhi, but this year we can say that it is much bigger and better, and we hope that with all of your support, we can make it even bigger in the coming years.”

–IANS

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