#3 Jeje Lalpekhlua
Jeje Lalpekhlua was born with a striker’s touch and was destined for big things ever since he broke onto the footballing scenario. Jeje was born in a football fanatic family in Mizoram. His father and uncle both played football and his father also represented Mizoram in the Santosh Trophy. Taking the baton over from him, Jeje debuted for Model Sporting Club, four months after his father retired.
Jeje impressed at the U-19 selection camp for Mizoram, getting selected for the qualifiers. Jeje broke into the U-19 Indian team and played just two games, scoring four goals. Sensing his potential, he was picked up in the U-23 squad, for which he played 17 games, scoring six goals. On the club front, Jeje was plying his trade for Pune FC and went on loan to the now-defunct Pailan Arrows in 2010. Jeje kept scoring goals on the run for his club, garnering attention from all corners of the country.
Jeje made his first National Team appearance in 2011, at the age of 21. Having showed a lot of promise in the youth ranks, the Indian football fraternity certainly had a new emerging star in its ranks.
Disappointingly, like so many other football careers, Jeje lost his way. On the club scenario, Jeje plied his trade for Pailan Arrows on loan till 2011, and had no other I-League club to play for till 2013 when Dempo came calling. Scoring just two goals in a season was not expected of Jeje, the striker and Mohun Bagan signed him for the next season to revive his career.
Jeje scored just once in 12 appearances and had been replaced by Robin Singh in the National team starting line-up and was used sparingly. Come ISL, and Jeje was signed by Chennaiyin FC. Playing as an impact striker from the bench in the starting phase, Jeje replaced Balwant Singh as the main man upfront. Since then, there’s no looking back for the striker. Finishing the campaign as the highest scoring Indian, over-scoring Sunil Chhetri and Robin Singh, got Jeje the much-needed reception.
If the first season was a fluke, Jeje proved his credentials in the second season. Forming a formidable partnership with Stiven Mendoza, Jeje scored six goals and made three other assists to take Chennaiyin to the title. Looking at his exploits in front of the goal, Jeje was signed by Mohun Bagan for the 2015-16 I-League season and is, again, one of the regular starters for the Blue Tigers.
