Top 10 moments of Jeje Lalpekhlua's career

The veteran forward has been exemplary in his service to the country’s leagues and national football team.

Jeje Lalpekhlua, the star boy of Indian football who bloomed late and was only noticed in his prime, hung up his boots on 17th February. The striker took to Twitter to announce to the football world that it’s been a real pleasure. Many will question his decision to take such a drastic step at a relatively young age.

However, Jeje has decided to spend time with his family for the time being. The former international said that he will be looking to do all he missed out on as a professional footballer. Granted some of the highest honours an Indian can fathom, the boy from Mizoram has come a long way. Let us take a walk down memory lane and look at the top 10 moments from Jeje Lalpekhlua’s career:

10. Bursting onto the scene with Pailan Arrows

A young 16-year-old Jeje caught the eye of Pune FC scouts who roped him into their youth system. After climbing the ladder he went on to make his senior debut for the Red Lizards, who were then in the I-League 2nd Division (during the 2009 I-League 2nd Division season). With two goals in his debut season, Jeje broke onto the scene after being loaned out to I-League newcomers Pailan Arrows on a one-year deal. That move lined him up for an outstanding season and laid the foundation for more memorable moments. Pailan Arrows was a precursor to the recently-dissolved youth developmental project/club Indian Arrows. The project was halted in 2013 and revived in 2017 rechristened as Indian Arrows before being stopped last year.

9. Scoring a hat trick against Mohun Bagan

Jeje had already scored four times against Air India for the Pailan Arrows in March of the 2010-11 I-League season. What better to top it off than to maintain that momentum against one of the mammoths of Indian football? Both Jeje Lalpekhlua and teammate Shilton D’Silva ran riot against the Kolkata outfit as they banged in 5 goals. Shilton managed a brace while Jeje terrorized the awestruck Bagan defence by scoring a hattrick. Mohun Bagan’s Muritala Ali scored a hattrick and Chidi Edeh scored once too but they could not outlast the youngsters. 

8. Finishing as the highest-scoring Indian for the 2010-11 season

After some memorable feats in his breakthrough season (I-League 2010-11), Jeje finished as the highest-scoring Indian. For someone who garnered the attention of AIFF personnel and drew praise, he made sure to substantiate their claims. With 13 goals in just 15 appearances, the young striker established himself as a name to be feared among defenders. This achievement brings us to the next top moment in his playing career.

7. Winning the FPAI Best Young Player Award

Jeje defeated the likes of Raju Gaikwad and Lenny Rodrigues for the FPAI(Football Players Association of India) Best Young Player Award in the 2010-11 edition. This was especially bestowed on him after he broke into the international team, still maintaining his purple patch of form. 

6. Signing for Chennaiyin FC

After a below-average first season with Mohun Bagan, Jeje Lalpekhlua was loaned out to competitive Indian Super League side Chennaiyin FC. The Marina Machans were on the lookout for their maiden ISL trophy and signing the experienced forward was a statement. Although his first season at the South-Indian side bore only four goals, he once again finished as the highest-scoring Indian in the league. That, in itself, was a sign of better things to come.

5. Signing and journey with Mohun Bagan

Despite singing for Mohun Bagan earlier, it ranks higher only because of the respect this name commands among all. The Kolkata-based giants, who’ve had the privilege of playing Bayern Munich in the past, snagged Jeje in the 2014 season. He put pen to paper on a one-year deal but in spite of all the pomp and splendor had an underwhelming season. He was loaned out to Chennaiyin FC the following season, as he had failed to live up to expectations. Jeje did however return to the club on loan in 2016 as he looked to redeem himself. The forward scored in the AFC Cup qualifying stages against Tampines Rovers. He then bloomed in the AFC Cup group stages with braces against Maziya (in a 5-2 thrashing) and Yangon United.

4. Scoring on his international debut against Chinese Taipei

Playing for India was one of the biggest honours for Jeje and he had already done so in the blue of India U-23. Just like his debut in the 2-1 win against Myanmar, he scored in his senior debut as well. This time it was against a much stronger opponent in Chinese Taipei in the 2012 AFC Challenge Cup Qualification. But we all know that a bigger stage only meant a more inspired Jeje Lalpekhlua don’t we? This time he starred in a 3-0 victory for his side but patiently awaited his chance to win more significant things.

3. Winning the Federation Cup and associated accolades

Apart from the league titles and international cups, one of the competitions that highlighted Jeje’s growth as a player was the 2015-16 Indian Federation Cup. The physical and skilled striker began the campaign by scoring a brace against Salgaocar, helping his side win the 1st leg of the quarter-final. He followed that up with a hattrick against Shillong Lajong in the semi-final and capped it all off with a goal in the final against Aizawl FC. Although it was only one of the five goals Mohun Bagan scored to sweep away the Northeastern side, it was enough to display his dominance. Jeje did not only win the Federation Cup but was crowned the top goal-scorer of the 2015-16 Indian Federation Cup campaign with 8 strikes. He was also named the Best Indian Player by his fellow professionals for his marvelous 2015-16 season.

2. Winning the ISL, POTM, and Emerging player of the League

Jeje was fated to help Chennaiyin FC to not one but two ISL trophies and establish a direct rivalry with reigning champions Atletico De Kolkata. The Kolkata side almost seemed to swap the trophy with the Marina Machans on alternate seasons. In fact, the forward scored his debut goal against ATK in a 2-3 loss in the 2015 ISL season. He scored a brace against Delhi Dynamos and then again in the semi-final first leg against his favourite team(ATK). With a final victory, Chennaiyin FC claimed the ISL throne as their own. Jeje led the charge with six goals and three assists in 11 appearances which also granted him the Emerging Player of the Season award.

His second stint with the Marina Machans saw him get nine goals from 20 appearances and these also included some quintessential ones. His playoff semi-final brace against FC Goa helped them power into the final where they triumphed over Bengaluru 3-2. The fans were equally delighted to see him light up the league and voted him the favourite for the Indian Super League Fans' Player of the Month in December 2017.

1. Winning the SAFF Championship and Intercontinental Cup

There’s no bigger honour than winning an international trophy for your country and Jeje has done even that. In what was arguably the biggest moment of his career, he scored in the final group stage match and the final before helping India to the SAFF Championship trophy in 2011. He soared back into life in the 2015 edition of the tournament as he scored a brace in the semi-finals and one in the final to help India get their hands on the trophy. Jeje already had a taste of such victory in his U-23 days as he won the SAFF U-23 championship in 2009. The striker scored only once in India’s successive Hero Intercontinental Cup victories in 2017 and 2018 but he had already achieved much by then.