Analysis: Who will win Player of the Season 2025/26

The nominees for the 2025/26 PSL Player of the Season will soon be announced, and the prize for the most outstanding footballer will be awarded in May. We dug through the numbers to explore which players are the leading candidates to be recognised as the best players this season. Last season, Sundowns’ Lucas Ribeiro was the runaway winner, as his exploits led the Brazilians to an eighth consecutive PSL crown. This season, there have been many good players, and we’ve chosen three that we believe have been the most outstanding.

Siyanda Ndlovu

Golden Arrows have had better seasons than this one, but the 2025/26 campaign is certainly an improvement on recent years. In the last four seasons, Arrows have missed out on the Top 8, but at the time of writing, they are in pole position to finish 8th. Arrows have already surpassed their points total from last season, with four games to extend that tally. Sede Dion Junior’s goals have been helpful in that quest, but behind him Siyanda Ndlovu (formerly Mthanti) has been equally influential.

Ndlovu has created 47 chances for his teammates this season, which makes him the third most productive player in the league on that metric, behind only Relebohile Mofokeng & Oswin Appollis. Since we have full data available (2020 onwards), this is the most by a Golden Arrows player in a full season. As the season comes to an end, the rumours of his departure may start gathering pace as the “bigger” clubs look to bolster their attacks.

Relebohile Mofokeng

Relebohile Mofokeng has played a key part in Orlando Pirates’ excellent PSL campaign. Whether they win the title or not, Pirates are well on their way to their best-ever season. They need to win just one more game to set a new points record for the club in the 30-game PSL era. They also need just two more goals to set a new club record for goals in the 30-game era. Indeed, Pirates are the top-scoring team in the league so far, eight goals ahead of Sundowns. Yet, they have not had one outstanding striker leading the line. The likes of Oswin Appollis, Deon Hotto and Mofokeng have provided the attacking spark for their title bid.

With 17 goal involvements (10 goals, 7 assists), Mofokeng is the player with the most direct goal involvements in the league this season. He’s created 77 chances for his teammates, equalling the PSL record since full chance creation data is available (2020 onwards). Of these, 72 of them have come from open play, already a new record for a single season by a player. He has already scored 10 goals in the league, and is primed to have double digit goals and assists should he find three more assists in the last four games. Whispers of an overseas move continue to gain traction in the media, and being recognised as the best player in the country may just turn those whispers louder.

Sede Dion

In a league that is notorious for a shortage of goals, we believe the top scoring player in the division deserves a nod for the Player of the Season. Sede Dion Junior leads the goalscoring charts at present, with 13 goals, and is on his way to a 15-goal campaign. A Golden Boot for a Golden Arrows player ticks all the pun boxes one can imagine, but there is more beyond that. Only three players have scored 10+ goals, and for Dion, this is also his best season as a player. This is also the season in which he became the top-scoring Ivorian in PSL history.

Not since Knox Mutizwa (13 goals in 2019/20) have Arrows seen a better finisher, and you’ll have to go back to 2009 for an Arrows player with more goals in one campaign (Richard Henyekane had 19 goals in 2008/9). Of the 20 players with 5+ goals, Dion also boasts the best conversion rate in the league (27%), highlighting just how potent he has been compared to his peers.