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2017 has been a breakthrough year for Indian football. From successfully hosting the FIFA U-17 World Cup to qualifying for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup without getting beaten, India and the national team have come a long way.
The good run of form has also succeeded in taking the country's FIFA ranking to 105, even crossing the 100 mark at one point in time in the year. A sensational rise from the 170th spot in the previous year means manager Stephen Constantine deserves huge credit.
There have been some brilliant matches played by the national side this year which has helped them qualify for the Asia Cup with ease. The quality of football has improved and so has the level of competition in the squad. With the year coming to a close soon, let's take a look at the five best performers:
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#5 Balwant Singh
The Mumbai City FC striker has been in fine touch recently in the ISL. He has had a good run of games in the national team as well, scoring three goals in the calendar year. Not a regular in the Indian side under Stephen Constantine due to form and fitness issues, he made the most of his chances in 2017.
In a tri-nation tournament organized to get the players match fit for the Asian Cup qualifiers, Balwant Singh scored the winner in a hard fought 2-1 win over Mauritius. He followed that up with a brace in a tricky away fixture against Macau in an Asian Cup qualifier.
India won that game 2-0 with Singh the best player on the field. Also, his substitution was the turning point in India's 4-1 win over Macau as the Blues scored three second-half goals.
#4 Jeje Lalpekhlua
The Mizo forward has been a regular in the Indian set up ever since emerging on the scene with Mohun Bagan. He has been trusted in all the big matches by Constantine with the diminutive striker always delivering. While he is struggling with his form in the ISL this season, Jeje has been one of the best performers for India this year.
Just like Balwant, Jeje scored three goals this year for the national side and helped his side stay unbeaten in the Asian Cup qualifiers. In a 4-1 win over Macau, Jeje added the cherry on top by scoring the fourth goal in stoppage time.
He then scored his most important goal of the year in a 2-2 draw against Myanmar in November, levelling for the Blues and keeping their unbeaten juggernaut on track. Jeje also scored in a 2-0 friendly win in what was an eventful 2017 for the forward.
#3 Sandesh Jhingan
One of the biggest reasons for India's unbeaten run in the Asian Cup qualifiers was their solidity and calmness at the back. And the leader of the Blues was Sandesh Jhingan, India's trusted lieutenant in defence.
Jhingan played a huge part in India keeping three clean sheets in five group games with the center-back marshaling his troops well. He was also a threat for the opposition during set pieces and though the Kerala Blasters man could not get on the score sheet in the qualifiers, he did score one in a 2-0 win over Nepal in a friendly encounter.
#2 Rowllin Borges
The former NorthEast United man is one of the finds for the national side and is repaying the faith shown in him by the management. Borges has been one of India's unsung heroes in their meteoric rise in the FIFA rankings.
Borges has looked at ease in midfield and has effectively run the show for the Blues from the middle of the park. The Goan midfielder dictated the play for India in the qualifiers and also shielded his defence at times.
Borges also scored one goal for the national side in the calendar year. He scored the first goal in India's 4-1 win over Macau, hitting a thunderbolt from outside the box to give his side a well-deserved lead.
#1 Sunil Chhetri
No Indian player deserves to be on this list more than Captain Fantastic Sunil Chhetri. From being in the Forbes India top 100 personalities of the year to breaking goalscoring records for fun, Chhetri has had a year to savour. The team does not need to look anywhere else for inspiration when a leader like Chhetri performs the way he has in 2017.
Chhetri scored three goals for India in the calendar year - all of them coming in the Asian Cup qualifiers. And with those three goals, he became the joint-third highest active goal scorer in international football (56 goals, equal to USA's Clint Dempsey). He went past Wayne Rooney in 2017 with only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi ahead of him at the moment.
India needed a big performance in their first qualifier against Kyrgyzstan and it came in the form of a 1-0 win in Bengaluru, courtesy a Sunil Chhetri winner right at the death. The captain got on the scoresheet against Macau and also scored a decisive penalty in a 2-2 draw with Myanmar. All in all, this has been a brilliant year for the Indian captain who must be itching to lead his country in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.
