By Express News Service

KOCHI: Goalkeeper Midhun V, who helped Kerala defeat West Bengal in the final of the 72nd Santosh Trophy earlier this year, was named the Kerala Football Association’s (KFA) men’s footballer of the year here on Saturday. Midhun, hailing from Kannur, had produced two fine saves to help Kerala win the penalty shootouts 4-2 at the historic Yubabharati Krirangan in Kolkata on April 1 which gifted Kerala their first national football championship title in 14 years and their sixth overall. Son of former Kerala Police goalkeeper Murali V, the 24-year-old is a member of the State Bank of India - Kerala football team and is a product of SN College, Kannur. He was earlier named the best goalkeeper in the 2013 edition of TNIE GOAL all-Kerala inter-collegiate football tournament.

Meanwhile, Athulya KV of Pathanamthitta district was named the women’s footballer of the year. Athulya was a member of the Kerala state team at the 35th National Games hosted by the state and has also turned up for the Gokulam Kerala FC women’s team in the Indian Women’s League. Vismaya Raj P of Kozhikode was named the best player in the sub-junior girls’ category while Krishnapriya AT of the same district took the honours in the junior girls’ division. Mohammed Shafeeq EP of Kottayam bagged the junior boys’ footballer of the year award while Shikhil of Malappuram won the award in the sub-junior boys’ category.