Indian National Team goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, and Sanju are the winners of the 2019-20 AIFF Men's Footballer of the Year Award, and the 2019-20 AIFF Women’s Footballer of the Year Award respectively.

This is the first time Gurpreet has received this prestigious award, and in the process he became the second goalkeeper after Subrata Paul in 2009 to be named the AIFF Player of the Year. The Blue Tigers custodian was elected as the winner on the basis of votes from Hero Indian Super League and Hero I-League club coaches.

The 28-year-old had also received the Arjuna Award last year. Meanwhile, National Women’s team midfielder Sanju was selected the winner for an excellent season; while Ratanbala Devi was the winner of the 2019-20 Emerging Women’s Footballer of the Year Award. Both the winners were selected by Women’s National Team Head Coach Maymol Rocky in consultation with AIFF Technical Director Isac Doru.

The 2019-20 AIFF Award for the Best Referee was by L. Ajit Kumar Meetei from Manipur, while P. Vairamuthu from Tamil Nadu was named the winner of the 2019-20 AIFF Award for the Best Assistant Referee. The 2019-20 AIFF Award for the Best Grassroots Development Programme went to the Indian Football Association (West Bengal).

2019-20 AIFF AWARDS AT A GLANCE

2019-20 AIFF Men’s Footballer of the Year:  Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.

2019-20 AIFF Women’s Player of the Year:  Sanju.

2019-20 AIFF Men’s Emerging Footballer of the Year:  Anirudh Thapa.

2019-20 AIFF Emerging Women’s Footballer of the Year:  Ratanbala Devi.

2019-20 AIFF Award for the Best Assistant Referee:  P. VAIRA-MUTHU (from Tamil Nadu).

2019-20 AIFF Award for the Best Referee: Mr. L. Ajit Kumar Meetei (from Manipur).

2019-20 AIFF Award for the Best Grassroots Development Programme: West Bengal (based on E-licence courses and Golden Baby Leagues).