The story behind the FPAI awards: How it all began in 2009
How did the FPAI Award begin?
Indian football was on a skeptical but promising path at the start of the 21st century. While the talent was available in abundance, it was challenging for the players to learn about the game's structure and receive the necessary support to advance to the next level.
It was during this time that the Football Players’ Association of India (FPAI) came into the limelight. In 2006, the FPAI started with a goal of taking Indian football to the next level. Formed by the current and former players, the association aimed to save the sport we all love.
The association, led by the former captain Bhaichung Bhutia, helped players get a voice, standardize practices, and helped create a sense of belongingness among various clubs, leagues and states. The association was in the right direction, joining the worldwide representative organization for football players, FIFPro in 2009.
FPAI made some tremendous strides after joining FIFPro. The team saw some stellar prospects, quality was improved, matches were played in a much more structured manner, and the players gave their best. However, something was still missing.
This is when the FPAI Awards were introduced. A simple core philosophy followed; the awards did not have to be extravagant and certainly did not need some external control. The idea was straightforward: players would vote for players. This was done for the awards to have meaning and honesty. Possibly the biggest sport in the world, players give their best on the pitch and get recognized for the same.
There was no media hype, no commercials, and no extravaganza. Just the top players in the country getting together and awarding the best players in the said season.
Sunil Chhetri and the first FPAI Award Ceremony
Held in 2009, the first FPAI Awards marked the beginning of something grand. It was about that time that the players, who left it all out on the pitch, were recognised for their talents.
The inaugural Indian Player of the Year was bagged by Sunil Chhetri, who at that time had just returned from trials in Europe and had started to make a name for himself in the national team. Furthermore, the season saw him score 13 goals in 17 international matches.
From this, the awards saw a major cultural shift and new categories were included, such as Young Player of the Year, Foreign Player of the Year, Coach of the Year, and eventually, Women’s Player of the Year, to make it more inclusive.
However, the essence of the award never changed. It was always given after votes were taken from the players and coaches.
Indian Super League and the FPAI Awards
The Indian Super League was introduced in 2014 to create a structured professional football league in Indian football. While the league had its sponsored-driven narratives and awards, the FPAI stayed true to its nature of peer voting.
Both I-League and ISL players were eligible and voting was done solely based on their performances on the field, and which league or club they played for.
The list of winners included some top players such as Sandesh Jhingan, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Jeje Lalpekhlua, Brandon Fernandes, and many foreign stars like Bartholomew Ogbeche and Roy Krishna.
Why do the FPAI Awards still matter?
15 years since its inauguration, the FPAI Awards remain the most respected individual recognition a player could receive in Indian football. The awards do not follow media polls or have a marketing team backup.
Furthermore, the player-first model of the awards is another thing that makes it much more credible. An experienced veteran in the ISL or a young midfielder playing in the I-League will have the same weight while voting.
For the emerging players, the awards become an extra motivation, while for the veterans, it serves as a seal of career respect. FPAI has recognized several national team players in the FPAI Young Player of the Year category before they made their breakthroughs.
FPAI Awards for the women’s category
FPAI introduced the women’s player of the year category in 2022 to reflect the growing momentum and visibility of women’s football in India. Midfielder Anju Tamang was awarded the first FPAI Women’s Player of the Year, voted by her fellow women footballers.
Today, the FPAI Awards are not just a trophy or an annual event. They represent a deeper truth: that football in India has matured to the point where players can and should celebrate each other without waiting for outside validation.
The fact that these awards have stood the test of time, despite numerous league restructures, club changes, and federation politics, is a testament to their integrity. As Indian football continues to grow, with more talent, more exposure, and more ambition, the FPAI Awards will remain a guiding light.
Not just as recognition, but as reflection. A reflection of effort. A reflection of mutual respect. And most importantly, a reflection of what football truly is at its core: players pushing each other forward.