Football: MBSG’s Subhasish Bose named Indian Men’s Player of the Year at 2025 AIFF Awards
Bose edges Chhetri, Fernandes to claim top honour
India international and skipper of the league winners Mohun Bagan Super Giant, Subhasish Bose, capped off a sensational season both personally and for his club by earning the AIFF Men’s Player of the Year award following the conclusion of the Kalinga Super Cup.
Bose played a key role in MBSG’s domestic double, contributing six goals from left back, a tally bettered only by Bengaluru stalwart Sunil Chhetri (12) and FC Goa midfielder Brison Fernandes (7), both of whom he edged for the coveted award.
The 29-year-old led Mohun Bagan to become only the second Indian team to win the domestic double, while he became just the second defender to win the Men’s Player of the Year award after Sandesh Jhingan’s victory back in the 2020-21 campaign. Speaking after winning the award, Bose said:
"I have been playing professional football for 10-12 years, and from then on I knew that someday I would win this award. Today, I am here, and winning the award makes me feel very happy. I hope that in the future, I can win more of India's Best Player awards. I am proud of my team, and for me, it was a great season. I scored six goals, and it was one of the best seasons for me.”
While the AIFF’s Men’s Player of the Year award has typically been dominated by attacking players, as is the case in most top leagues around the globe, Bose’s win highlighted the role that defensive players had on the Indian Super League this season.
Mohun Bagan kept an astounding 15 clean sheets en route to the winners' Shield and confirming our ISL prediction, while the team conceded just 16 goals in their 24 regular-season matches, 11 fewer than any other side in the division.
Jamil, Kaith, Guguloth, among AIFF award winners
The AIFF also handed out awards in several other categories at the annual awards, and Jamshedpur FC boss Khalid Jamil went home with the Men’s Coach of the Year award for the second consecutive season after leading the Men of Steel to the Super Cup final against FC Goa.
The Gaurs' attacking midfielder, Brison Fernandes, produced his best-ever season in the Indian Super League, netting seven goals, which earned him his maiden call-up to the national team, and he received the Men’s Promising Player of the Year accolade.
Unsurprisingly, joining Bose on the winners list was Mohun Bagan’s shot-stopper, Vishal Kaith, who kept 15 clean sheets and only allowed 19 goals in 26 games across all competitions. He received the Golden Glove at the end of the season and was awarded Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year by the AIFF.
In the Indian Women’s League, the AIFF Women’s Player of the Year went to East Bengal striker Soumya Guguloth, who ended the campaign as the highest goal scorer with nine goals and led the team to the league title.
Guguloth’s teammate Panthoi Chanu picked up the Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year honour for her seven clean sheets in 14 games, while Sribhumi FC pair Surjata Kar and 18-year-old Toijam Thoibisana Chanu earned the Women’s Coach of the Year and Women’s Promising Player of the Year awards, respectively.
