Anirudh Thapa

Anirudh Thapa (born 15 January 1998) is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Indian football club Chennaiyin[1] and the India national football team.

Anirudh Thapa
Personal information
Date of birth (1998-01-15) 15 January 1998
Place of birth Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Playing position(s) Center midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Chennaiyin
Number 7
Youth career
St. Stephen's Academy
2012–2016 AIFF Elite Academy
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016– Chennaiyin 55 (3)
2017 → Minerva Punjab (loan) 14 (1)
National team‡
2012–2014 India U17 5 (1)
2015 India U19 4 (2)
2017 India U23 5 (0)
2017 India 24 (2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 27 March 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 17 January 2020

Career

Born in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, he started his schooling at St. Joseph's Academy and also played football for his school team. Then Thapa began playing football at the age of ten at the St. Stephen's Football Academy in Chandigarh.[2] After spending time with the India under-14 side, Thapa was selected to join the AIFF Regional Academy in Kalyani in 2012.[2] As he moved up the national youth team ranks, Thapa was moved into the AIFF Elite Academy where he became captain of the side in the I-League U19.[2] In April 2016 Thapa, along with four other players, was selected to join French Ligue 2 side Metz on a short training-stint which was sponsored by Indian Super League side Chennaiyin.[3]

In November 2016, due to the injury of Dhanachandra Singh which ruled the defender out for the rest of the ISL season, Thapa was put into the Chennaiyin squad as a replacement.[4] He made his professional debut for the team in the side's final match of the season against Goa. He started the match and played 67 minutes. He almost scored his first goal but unfortunately it was given an own goal.[5]

After the conclusion of the 2016 ISL season, Thapa signed with Minerva Punjab of the I-League on loan for the 2016–17 season.[6]

International
Thapa in a melee during 2019 AFC Asian Cup group match against Thailand.
Thapa celebrating a goal with the then captain Sunil Chhetri at 2019 AFC Asian Cup group match against Thailand.

Thapa first represented India at the under-14 level. He was part of the under-16 side that won the 2013 SAFF U-16 Championship and participated in the qualifiers for the AFC U-16 Championship. Thapa then went on to represent the under-19 side in the SAFF U-19 Championship.

On 6 January 2019, Thapa scored his first ever international goal in a 4–1 win against Thailand in 2019 AFC Asian Cup. He scored the second goal against the same opponent in 2019 King's Cup which India won 1–0.

Stats

Career statistics
As of 27 March 2020[7]
Club Season League Federation Cup/Super Cup Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Chennaiyin 2016 Indian Super League10————10
2017–18 16210——172
2018–19 1805281313
2019-20 2010000201
Chennaiyin total 5536281696
Minerva Punjab (loan) 2016–17 I-League14100——141
Career total 6946281837
As of 16 October 2019
National teamYearAppsGoals
India 201720
2018120
2019102
Total242

International goals
Scores and results list India's goal tally first.[8]
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.6 January 2019Al Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Thailand
3–1
4–1
2019 AFC Asian Cup
2.8 June 2019Chang Arena, Buriram, Thailand Thailand
1–0
1–0
2019 King's Cup

Honours

Club
Chennaiyin

Individual
  • AIFF Men Emerging Footballer Of The Year 2018

References
  1. "Squad". Chennaiyin FC. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  2. "Anirudh Thapa captain of the Indian National Football Team (Under-19)". Indian Gorkhas. 1 June 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  3. Talwar, Gaurav (22 April 2016). "Doon boy Anirudh to train with French football club FC Metz". Times of India. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  4. "Chennaiyin FC's Dhanachandra Singh ruled out of the season with knee injury". Goal.com. 6 November 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  5. "Goa vs. Chennaiyin". Soccerway.
  6. "Anirudh Thapa signed for Minerva Punjab". Minerva Punjab FC (Facebook).
  7. Anirudh Thapa at Soccerway
  8. "Anirudh Thapa". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
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