Shilji Shaji
{{Short description|Indian footballer (born 2007)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Indian name|Shilji|Shaji}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Shilji Shaji
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age |2007|3|13|df=y}}
| birth_place = Kakkayam,Kozhikode, Kerala, India
| position = Forward
| currentclub = Gokulam Kerala
| clubnumber = 49
| years1 = 2022–
| clubs1 = Gokulam Kerala
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| nationalyears1 = 2023
| nationalteam1 = India U17
| nationalcaps1 = 6
| nationalgoals1 = 16
}}
Shilji Shaji (born 13 March 2007) is an Indian women's international footballer who plays for Gokulam Kerala and the India U17.{{cite web|url=https://www.the-aiff.com/article/pv-priya-announces-20-member-squad-for-saff|title=PV Priya announces 20-member squad for SAFF U-17 Women's Championship to be held in Dhaka|publisher=AIFF|date=16 March 2023|access-date=20 March 2023|archive-date=17 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230317133951/https://www.the-aiff.com/article/pv-priya-announces-20-member-squad-for-saff|url-status=live}} She won the 2022–23 AIFF Emerging Player of the Year award.{{cite web |title=Indian Football News: Chhangte and Manisha Kalyan win the AIFF Player Of the Year award |url=https://sportzpoint.com/football/indian-football-news-chhangte-and-manisha-kalyan-win-the-aiff-player-of-the-year-award/#:~:text=Mumbai%20City%20FC%20winger%20Lallianzuala,Player%20of%20the%20Year%20award. |website=sportzpoint.com |access-date=4 July 2023}}
Early life
Shilji hails from Kakkayam, Kozhikode, Kerala and started playing football at Kallanode School.{{Cite web|url=https://khelnow.com/football/2023-03-indian-football-saff-u17-womens-championship-shilji-shaji-profile|title=Shilji Shaji wants to build on a bright start for the Indian U-17 Women's Team|publisher=khelnow.com|access-date=28 March 2023|archive-date=25 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230325145517/https://khelnow.com/football/2023-03-indian-football-saff-u17-womens-championship-shilji-shaji-profile|url-status=live}} She said, "My father played football, and he sent me to play as well. Very few girls of my age used to play football. So I mostly played with senior girls".{{Cite web|url=https://footballexpress.in/shilji-shaji-sets-a-high-standard-for-the-indian-u-17-womens-team/|title=Shilji Shaji sets a high standard for the Indian U-17 Women's Team|date=24 March 2023 |publisher=footballexpress.in|access-date=28 March 2023|archive-date=28 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328004349/https://footballexpress.in/shilji-shaji-sets-a-high-standard-for-the-indian-u-17-womens-team/|url-status=live}}
Career
= Gokulam Kerala =
International career
She was called up to the India U17.{{Cite web|url=https://www.arunfoot.com/aiff-tv-interview-with-india-u-17-womens-shilji-shaji/|title=Interview with India U-17 Women's Shilji Shaji!|date=22 March 2023 |publisher=arunfoot.com|access-date=28 March 2023|archive-date=22 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322180200/https://www.arunfoot.com/aiff-tv-interview-with-india-u-17-womens-shilji-shaji/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.manoramaonline.com/sports/football/2023/03/19/shilji-shaji-and-akhila-rajan-in-indian-team.html|title=സാഫ് ഫുട്ബോൾ: ഇന്ത്യൻ ടീമിൽ ഇടം നേടി ഷിൽജിയും അഖിലയും, ആദ്യ മത്സരം നേപ്പാളിനെതിരെ|publisher=manoramaonline.com|access-date=28 March 2023|archive-date=28 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328004351/https://www.manoramaonline.com/sports/football/2023/03/19/shilji-shaji-and-akhila-rajan-in-indian-team.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web | url=https://thebridge.in/football/afc-u17-women-asia-cup-india-squad-named-qualifiers-41226 | title=AFC U17 Women's Asia Cup: Indian squad named for qualifiers | date=19 April 2023 }}
Shilji scored her first goal for India U17 team in a friendly match against {{fbwu-rt|17|JOR}} on 6 February 2023,{{Cite web|url=https://view19.in/india-u-17-women-outplay-hosts-jordan-in-friendly-match/|title=India U-17 women outplay hosts Jordan in friendly match - View19|date=6 February 2023|access-date=20 March 2023|archive-date=20 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230320103841/https://view19.in/india-u-17-women-outplay-hosts-jordan-in-friendly-match/|url-status=live}} ultimately scoring four goals in this game. Shilji also scored another four goals in the next match against the same opponent on 9 February 2023.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestatesman.com/sports/football-shilji-shaji-nets-four-as-india-u-17-womens-team-hammers-jordan-6-0-1503153565.html|title=Football: Shilji Shaji nets four as India U-17 women's team hammers Jordan 6-0|website=The Statesman |date=10 February 2023|access-date=20 March 2023|archive-date=20 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230320103836/https://www.thestatesman.com/sports/football-shilji-shaji-nets-four-as-india-u-17-womens-team-hammers-jordan-6-0-1503153565.html|url-status=live}} Shilji scored a hat trick as India beat {{fbwu-rt|17|NEP}} emphatically in the 2023 SAFF U-17 Women's Championship.{{Cite web |url=https://www.footballcounter.com/2023/shilji-shaji-strikes-hat-trick-as-india-down-nepal-in-saff-u-17-womens-championship-opener/ |title=Shilji Shaji strikes hat-trick as India down Nepal in SAFF U-17 Women's Championship opener |date=20 March 2023 |access-date=20 March 2023 |archive-date=20 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230320155356/https://www.footballcounter.com/2023/shilji-shaji-strikes-hat-trick-as-india-down-nepal-in-saff-u-17-womens-championship-opener/ |url-status=live }}
Shilji got to her fourth hat trick for the U-17 team against {{fbwu|17|BHU}} in the 2023 SAFF U-17 Women's Championship.{{Cite web |url=https://khelnow.com/football/2023-03-indian-football-saff-under-17-womens-championship-india-vs-bhutan-match-report |title=SAFF U17 Womens' Championship: India vs Bhutan report |work=Khel Now |date=26 March 2023 |access-date=26 March 2023 |archive-date=26 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326161916/https://khelnow.com/football/2023-03-indian-football-saff-under-17-womens-championship-india-vs-bhutan-match-report |url-status=live }}
She was called for 2024 AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup qualification Team, Later AIFF announced Nishima Kumari of Jharkhand as replacement for attacking midfielder Shilji Shaji, Who diagnosed with viral pneumonia.{{cite web | url=https://www.the-aiff.com/article/pv-priya-names-u1-7-womens-squad-for-u-17-afc-womens-asian-cup-qualifiers-in-bishkek | title=PV Priya names U-17 Women's squad for U-17 AFC Women's Asian Cup Qualifiers in Bishkek }}
Honours
Individual
- Top Scorer :2023 SAFF U-17 Women's Championship
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shilji Shaji}}
Category:People from Salem, Tamil Nadu
Category:Footballers from Kerala
Category:Sportswomen from Kerala
Category:Indian women's footballers
Category:India women's international footballers
Category:India women's youth international footballers
Category:Gokulam Kerala FC Women players
Category:Women's association football forwards
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