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Year Ender 2021: Best Moments In Indian Football In 2021

Year Ender 2021: Best Moments In Indian Football In 2021: 2021 was indeed a year for the Indian Football team. There were many moments where people felt the rise of the Indian football team, and the squad had excellent performances. Considerable players in the group earned some outstanding achievements and immense love for their performance. 

The growth of Indian football was ample in 2021. As the year ends, Indian football will welcome 2022 with new challenges. In October, the nation is preparing to host the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. 

Indian football stalwarts like Sunil Chhetri, Sandesh Jhingan, Manisha Kalyan, and Bala Devi have rewritten their career-defining script this year. Indian Super League (ISL) club Bengaluru FC captain Sunil Chhetri became the first Indian footballer to receive the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award and etched his name into history books. 

The 37-year-old Chhetri has been honored with the Padma Shri award and Arjuna award in the past. In his career spanning, Chhetri has scored 80 international goals in 125 matches and is currently second in the list of all-time goal scorers among active footballers alongside.

In contrast, Manisha Kalyan became the first Indian to score against a Brazil team. India went down 1-6 to Brazil in the opening game of the Women’s International football tournament on Friday, but Manisha who scored the first goal for the team in the eighth minute registered her name in the records book. At the same time, the 20-year-old midfielder from Punjab received the AIFF Emerging Player of the Year award. 

After signing a contract with Scottish side Rangers, women’s team striker Bala Devi has come into the limelight. She is also the first Indian woman to score in European football. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has honored Bala Devi with the Women’s Footballer of the Year award. 

In 2021, we also saw Jhingan securing his name in Croatian top-flight club HNK Sibenik, one of the best center-backs. Jhingan, during this time, decided to move to Europe to play in higher-level matches.

Year Ender 2021: Best Moments In Indian Football In 2021

In Dubai, the national team played 12 international matches against Oman and the United Arab Emirates. Indian clubs are concerned; they are busy playing in two major leagues- the Indian Super League (ISL) and I-League. After suffering several losses mid-season in the ISL, ATK Mohun Bagan has sacked the league’s most successful coach, Antonio Habas.

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The Sunil Chhetri-led side failed to qualify directly for the AFC Asian Cup 2023 in China in 2021 after winning its eighth SAIF Championship title in the Maldives. After a high-profile eighth SAFF Championship title, it was disappointing for the Indian men’s team, as they failed to qualify directly for the AFC Asian Cup.

Due to the low number of referees, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has run the Elite Referee Development Program to groom and develop elite-level referees. Over the next three years, an investment of Rs 10 crore has been announced under the program. The football governing body has also extended the national team head coach Stimac’s contract until September 2022.

Significant achievements in 2021:

Eighth SAIF Championship title, defeating Nepal 3-0 in the final.

Major Games of 2022:

• January: AFC Women’s Asian Cup; India will host.
• February to September: AFC Men’s Asian Cup qualification 2022.
• October: India will host the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.

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