Sukham Yoihenba Meitei

Yoihenba Meitei
Personal information
Full name Sukham Yoihenba Meitei
Date of birth (2004-02-07) 7 February 2004 (age 20)
Place of birth Thoubal, Manipur, India
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Central midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Kerala Blasters
Number 22
Youth career
2017–2018 NEROCA
2018–2020 Kerala Blasters B
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020–2024 Kerala Blasters B 7 (0)
2023– Kerala Blasters 3 (0)
International career
2019 India U15
2020 India U16
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13:30, 15 September 2024 (UTC)

Sukham Yoihenba Meitei (born 7 February 2004) is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for the Indian Super League club Kerala Blasters FC.[1]

Club career

Early life and career

Born in Thoubal, Manipur,[2] Yoihenba started his youth career with the under-16 division of NEROCA FC, whom he represented in the U15 Hero Junior League in 2017.[3] He would then sign for the U15 team of the Indian Super League side Kerala Blasters FC, whom he represented in the 2019 Hero Junior League and the Subroto Cup, before signing to the reserve side of Kerala Blasters.[4]

Kerala Blasters

2018–2024: Kerala Blasters reserves and senior team debut

Yoihenba signed his first senior contract for the reserves team of the Indian Super League side Kerala Blasters FC. He was then included in the Blasters' reserve squad that played the 2020–21 Kerala Premier League.[5] Under the new senior team gaffer Ivan Vukomanović, Yoihenba was one among the six reserve team players that was called up for 2021 pre-season camp of Kerala Blasters,[6][7] and was then named in the Blasters' squad for the 2021 Durand Cup by Vukomanović.[8] He also represented the reserves in the 2021–22 Kerala Premier League season.[9] During the 2023–24 season, Yoihenba was chosen in the Blasters' reserves' squad for the 2023 Reliance Foundation Development League's national phase,[10] and was again called up for the pre-season camp,[11] and 2023 Durand Cup squad.[12] After making it to the senior squad for the 2023–24 Indian Super League season,[13] his senior career debut would come against Mohun Bagan Super Giant on 27 December 2023, where he came in as a substitute for Mohammed Azhar in the injury time of the second half and played just one minute, as the Blasters would win the match 0–1 at full-time.[14]

2024–present: Rise to the first team and contract extension

On 14 September 2024, Kerala Blasters announced that Yoihenba has signed a new contract with the club, that would keep him with them until 2027 with an option to extend.[15]

International career

Yoihenba was called up for the India under-15 national team on 25 July 2019 for the preparatory friendlies in Thailand for the 2020 AFC U-16 Championship qualifiers,[16] and played his first match against Bangkok Glass FC on 30 July 2019, which they won 4–2.[17] He assisted for Sridarth Nongmeikapam goal against Assumption United FC on the final match of the preparatory friendlies on 9 August 2019, as India won the match by the score of 2–0.[18] On 19 November 2020, Yoihenba was called up for the India under-16's training camp in Goa as a part of the preparation for the 2020 AFC U-16 Championship.[19]

Career statistics

Club

As of matches played till 31 December 2023[20]
Club Season League Cup AFC Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Kerala Blasters FC B 2023 RF Development League 4 0 – – – 4 0
Kerala Blasters FC 2023–24 Indian Super League 2 0 2 0 – – 4 0
2024–25 Indian Super League 1 0 0 0 – 3 0 4 0
Kerala Blasters total 3 0 2 0 – 3 0 8 0
Career total 7 0 2 0 – 3 0 12 0

References

  1. ^ "Sukham Yoihenba Meitei- Indian Super League". www.indiansuperleague.com. Archived from the original on 16 December 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  2. ^ "Yoihenba Meitei Sukham - Soccer player profile & career statistics - Global Sports Archive". globalsportsarchive.com. Archived from the original on 31 December 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  3. ^ "Aizawl FC cruise into final round of U-15 Hero I-League ~ E-Pao! News About Manipur". e-pao.net. Archived from the original on 31 December 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  4. ^ Kerala Blasters FC [@KeralaBlasters] (19 July 2019). "After his fine performance in the Hero Junior League and the Subroto Cup, our U-15 Blaster, Yoihenba Meitei, has been selected for a trial with the U-15 Boys National Football Team in Goa! 🤩" (Tweet). Retrieved 31 December 2023 – via Twitter.
  5. ^ Mohamed, Farzan (11 March 2021). "Kerala Blasters FC Reserves announce squad for Kerala Premier League". www.sportskeeda.com. Archived from the original on 30 June 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  6. ^ Deshpande, Varun (21 July 2021). "ISL - 6 Reserve Team Players Called Up For Kerala Blasters Pre-season". Archived from the original on 22 September 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  7. ^ Mishra, Siddharth (6 August 2021). "ISL: Kerala Blasters begin their pre-season in Kochi". thebridge.in. Archived from the original on 23 October 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  8. ^ Sportstar, Team (2 September 2021). "Durand Cup 2021: Kerala Blasters FC announces squad". Sportstar. Archived from the original on 2 September 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  9. ^ Kerala Blasters FC [@KeralaBlasters] (20 January 2022). "Here's the list of Blasters that will be embarking upon a fresh #KPL journey tomorrow ⤵️" (Tweet). Retrieved 31 December 2023 – via Twitter.
  10. ^ Kerala Blasters FC [@KeralaBlasters] (24 April 2023). "𝐒𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐃 𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓📢
    Here's our squad set to take part in the Reliance Foundation Development League National Phase ⤵️"     (Tweet). Retrieved 31 December 2023 – via Twitter.
  11. ^ "ISL: Kerala Blasters kickstart pre-season in Kochi". Khel Now. Archived from the original on 19 July 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  12. ^ Sportstar, Team (9 August 2023). "Kerala Blasters announces squad for 2023 Durand Cup". Sportstar. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  13. ^ "ISL 2023-24: Kerala Blasters announce 29-member squad". Khel Now. Archived from the original on 21 September 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  14. ^ Sportstar, Team (27 December 2023). "MBSG 0-1 KBFC highlights, ISL 2023-24: Diamantakos goal enough as Kerala Blasters edges win against Mohun Bagan SG". Sportstar. Archived from the original on 28 December 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  15. ^ "Yoihenba Meitei Signs New Contract with Kerala Blasters Until 2027 - Kerala Blasters FC". 14 September 2024. Retrieved 16 September 2024.
  16. ^ Releases, Press (25 July 2019). "U-15 players Yoihenba and Sahni summoned for national team duty". thebridge.in. Archived from the original on 12 July 2020. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  17. ^ "Sridarth nets a hattrick as India U15s beat Bangkok Glass FC 4-2 | Goal.com". www.goal.com. 30 July 2019. Archived from the original on 31 July 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  18. ^ "INDIA U15 SIDE WRAP UP THAILAND TOUR WITH FOURTH STRAIGHT WIN". www.the-aiff.com. Archived from the original on 20 June 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  19. ^ "India U-16 football national team to begin camp in Goa on Friday, prepare for AFC U-16 Championship next year". India Today. Archived from the original on 3 December 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  20. ^ Sukham Yoihenba Meitei at Soccerway