New Delhi: Sunil Chettri and Pyari Xaxa were chosen as the best players at the Football Players Association of India’s annual awards in Shillong on Sunday.
It was the fifth time that former India captain Chhetri won the FPAI’s best player award after 2009, 2017, 2018, and 2019 while it is Pyari’s maiden award.
The FPAI honoured contributions and celebrated outstanding performers through their annual awards ceremony.
The winners across categories were selected through a player-led voting process, where active players from across the country cast their votes.
The highest-voted nominee in each category was picked as the winner to reflect the collective voice of the players.
Bengaluru FC’s Chhetri scored 14 times in the 2024-25 Indian Super League, becoming only the second Indian to score more than 10 goals in two different editions of the ISL (first being in 2017-18) after Lallianzuala Chhangte (2022-23 and 2023-24).
Pyari impressed for Odisha FC in the Indian Women’s League while women’s young player of the year was handed to East Bengal’s Naorem Priyanka Devi.
FC Goa’s Brison Fernandes was named the young player of the year while NorthEast United’s Alaaeddine Ajaraie was picked as the foreign player of the year for his record 23 goal Golden Boot-winning campaign.
Forward Edmund Lalrindika was named the I-League’s player of the year for scoring four goals in 18 matches for Inter Kashi. He will play in the ISL for East Bengal in the 2025-26 season.
Jamshedpur FC’s Khalid Jamil was named the coach of the year. Former India internationals Renedy Singh and Eugenson Lyngdoh received recognition for their service to Indian football.
Young Player of the Year: Brison Fernandes – FC Goa
Foreign Player of the Year: Alaaeddine Ajaraie – NorthEast United FC
Indian Player of the Year: Sunil Chhetri – Bengaluru FC
I-League Player of the Year: Edmund Lalrindika – Inter Kashi FC
Coach of the Year: Khalid Ahmed Jamil – Jamshedpur FC
Women’s Indian Player of the Year: Pyari Xaxa – Odisha FC
Women’s Young Player of the Year: Naorem Priyanka Devi – East Bengal FC
