Sportskeeda's Indian Footballer of the Year 2015 - counting down from No. 5 to No. 1
India have had an uninspiring year, but a few bright spots have shoneIt’s that time of the year when we applaud achievements and look back on chances and opportunities missed. And when you bring Indian football into this context, it can be safe to say that there have been a few achievements and unfortunately a lot of opportunities missed this year.The national side played a number of matches on FIFA matchdays this year but was unable to make much of an impact. Stephen Constantine’s side suffered poor defeats in the World Cup qualifiers with the only decent result being the 1-0 win against Guam at home.On the domestic front, the ISL was a success once again but question marks over the I-League remain. A number of clubs have decided to shut shop and some more are expected to follow.In spite of the lows, there have been some players who have brought us immense joy with their performances for club and country and have played a key role in inspiring the youth of the country which has often shied away from making this sport their profession.Here’s looking at the top 5 Indian players of 2015, culminating in the crowning of the Sportskeeda Indian Footballer of the Year 2015.
#5 Jackichand Singh
The young winger, hailing from the North Eastern region of the country was the find of the I-League season. His pace coupled with his ability to cross the ball and his ability to drift pass opponents made him a menace for opposition defences to handle. His performances in the competition led to him being named the Player of the Season and also enabled his side Royal Wahingdoh to finish in the top three.
Soon the Indian Super League came calling and in the inaugural auction, Jackichand was picked up by Pune City for a princely amount and he did not need long to repay the faith shown on him. He scored in the 1-0 win over Atletico de Kolkata and put in some decent performances later on.
He made his international debut in March when he came on in place of Lalrindika Ralte and has since then become a key player for the national team. He has made five more appearances since then but a goal still eludes him.