Here are 10 things you need to know about Jeje Lalpekhlua:
#1 Jeje was born in the village of Hnahthial in Mizoram. North East is known as the home of some of the best footballers. Both Jeje’s father and elder brother have been associated with the sport too, having played for local Mizoram clubs. Jeje made his debut for Model Sporting Club only four months after his dad retired from the local club.
#2 Despite hesitation from his family in pursuing football as a career, Jeje came to light with his amazing performance at the Wai Wai Cup in Mizoram. This performance further helped him to enter the Mizoram U-19 team and since then, there was no looking back for him. Jeje impressed coach Colm Toal at the U-19 camp in and got selected for the qualifiers. He went on the lead the U-19 team in the South Asian games.
#3 On 21 March 2011, he made his debut for the senior national football team in the 2012 AFC challenge Cup Qualification against the Chinese Taipei, in which he scored a goal.
#4 Jeje is one of the rare players to have won the ISL, I-League as well as the Federation Cup.
Also read: 5 best strikers the ISL has ever seen
#5 The highest scorer from India in the AFC Cup, Jeje is also the record holder for most number of goals scored by any player in one edition of the Federation Cup
#6 The young Mizo captained the India Under-22s in the AFC Under-22 Asian Championship qualifiers in Oman.
#7 Jeje is the highest Indian scorer in the ISL, having bagged 10 goals in the two seasons.
#8 For the year 2010 to 2011, he was awarded the Best Young Player Award by the Football Player’s Association of India. In 2013, he was awarded the Emerging Player of the Year by All India Football Federation.
#9 Jeje also received the award for the Emerging player of the league for the 2015 edition of the Hero Indian Super League for his brilliant performance with the winners Chennaiyin FC.
#10 The young boy has a new song dedicated to him, composed and sung by the Chennaiyin FC supporters group. The song, ‘Jeje’s on fire’ does justice to the striker’s current form and is sung to the tune of the famous chant from the Euros, ‘Will Grigg’s on fire’
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