Annual AIFF Awards 2020-21: Footballers Bala Devi And Manisha Kalyan Bag Top Awards

Annual AIFF awards: Bala Devi, India women's forward has been named as the AIFF Women's Footballer of the Year 2020-21. Manisha Kalyan won the AIFF (All India Football Federation) Women's Emerging Footballer of the Year 2020-21 Award. The players thanked their coaches, teammates, family and well-wishers for the support.

On receiving the award, Bala Devi said that she was happy to have won the award. She thanked AIFF and all her fans for their support. The footballer further thanked her coaches at her club in Rangers, and the national team. "And also and all the coaches that I've played under in the past. A big thank you also to my family and all my teammates for all the support," she added.

Thank you for the honour ! https://t.co/VEWOVDuavE

— Bala Devi (@BalaDevi_10) July 20, 2021

Annual AIFF awards: Bala Devi, Women's Footballer of the Year 2020-21

Devi said that she arrived in Scotland last year, before the global lockdown. However, acclimatising to any new place in such conditions was extremely difficult for her. But with the help of her teammates, she was able to focus on important things and keep herself  "in top shape, both mentally and physically."

It is the third time she has bagged this prestigious award. Previously she won it two years in a row in 2014 and 2015.

Devi is currently playing for Rangers Women's FC in Scotland. She made her debut for the team in February in 2020 and scored her first competitive goal in December. She is India's first female footballer to sign a professional contract in Europe.

Annual AIFF awards:  Manisha Kalyan, Women's Emerging Footballer of the Year 2020-21

Manisha Kalyan, the 19-year-old forward, was named the Women's Emerging Footballer of the Year for the first time. She expressed her delight by thanking AIFF for choosing her as the winner of the emerging player of the year award. "This award motivates me to push further to work harder for my team and achieve our goals," she added. Kalyan thanked the staff members of the national team who taught her and made her capable for the win. She extended her gratitude to her teammates, without whom her victory couldn't have been possible. "My family, my coaches, teachers- a big thank you to all," she concluded.

🏆 𝐀𝐈𝐅𝐅 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎-𝟐𝟏 🏆

Many, many congratulations to the AIFF Women’s Emerging Footballer of the Year 2020-21 - 𝙈𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙖 𝙆𝙖𝙡𝙮𝙖𝙣! 🙌#IndianFootball ⚽ #IndianFootballForwardTogether 💪 #ShePower 👧 #BackTheBlue 💙 pic.twitter.com/eaeWwU5MhG

— Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) July 20, 2021

The player made her senior national team debut against Hong Kong in 2019. In the 2019-20 Indian Women's League, she received the Emerging Player of the Tournament Award.

Image source: Hindustan Times