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#3 Anirudh Thapa
Talking of the next big thing, this 20-year-old lad from Dehradun has impressed a lot in the last few years. Anirudh Thapa is a creative central midfielder who made his debut in ISL 2016 under Marco Materazzi’s Chennaiyin F.C.
After the conclusion of the 2016 ISL season, he went on loan to Minerva Punjab in the I-League for the following season. He became more mature as a player there and returned to the Marina Arena in 2017. Chennaiyin FC won the title for the second time in that season. He even scored in the semi-final leg against FC Goa.
Indian international number-7 was also an integral part of the Intercontinental Cup-winning Indian team. He played in three out of the four matches and also started in the final.
The 2017/18 season ended on a high for him as he received the Emerging Player of the Year award from the AIFF. Due to his recent form, he might cement his place in the national side, which will be taking part in the AFC Asian Cup in January next year. He needs to perform better in the upcoming season and not only look to create more chances but also score goals.
