Sandesh Jhingan

Sandesh Jhingan (born 21 July 1993) is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Prva HNL club Sibenik and the India national team.

He won the AIFF emerging player of the year award in 2014 and debuted for the national side in 2015. Jhingan received Arjuna Award in 2020 for his outstanding achievement in football. He is also the recipient of the 2020–21 AIFF Men's Player of the Year Award. Currently, Jhingan holds the record for the most number of appearances for Kerala Blasters.

Club Career

Early career: 2011–14

Born in Chandigarh, Jhingan received his football training at the St. Stephen's Academy. While with the academy, Jhingan helped the side reach the South-East Asian finals of the Manchester United Premier Cup. He also represented the Chandigarh state team at the under-19 level, helping them win the B.C. Roy Trophy.

After impressive performances for his state side and academy team, Jhingan received a call-up to attend trials at I-League 2nd Division side United Sikkim in November 2011. The trials were successful for Jhingan and he signed for the club the next month in December. Playing alongside former India internationals, Baichung Bhutia and Renedy Singh, Jhingan helped United Sikkim earn promotion to the I-League after the 2012 season.

Jhingan in a June 2020 interview said that he was rejected by many second and third division clubs in Kolkata. He said, "It was during the starting phase of my career. Back then I was looking for clubs and I appeared for quite a few trials at a number of clubs in Kolkata — even in the second and third divisions. But I was rejected by all."

Jhingan made his senior professional debut in the I-League on 6 October 2012 in United Sikkim's first match of the season against Salgaocar. Jhingan started the match and lasted the whole ninety minutes and scored the winning goal for United Sikkim as they won 3–2. He then scored his second goal for the club on 18 November 2012 against S