With no more than seven matches left for the chasing pack—and as few as five for others—we have reached that decisive stage of the season where one debate dominates: who truly deserves the Footballer of the Season award?
Few things divide opinion like football, the world’s most loved sport. In South Africa, however, this debate takes on a uniquely tribal tone. Supporters of Mamelodi Sundowns will naturally argue for one of their own. Orlando Pirates fans do the same, passionately backing their standout performers.
Among Kaizer Chiefs supporters, opinions are more fragmented—some lean toward Sundowns players, others offer balanced views, while a few contribute simply to be part of the conversation. Meanwhile, supporters of the remaining teams are often sidelined, their perspectives rarely shaping the national narrative.
But perhaps the real issue is this: the debate rarely begins where it should—with clear, transparent criteria.
Officially, the PSL Awards process is structured. Premier Division head coaches vote for the Footballer of the Season, while players decide the Player’s Player of the Season. The DStv Diski Challenge Player of the Season is determined by youth coaches, refereeing awards by the SAFA National Referees Committee, and all other categories are judged by a panel of journalists, analysts, and commentators.
On paper, this appears comprehensive. In practice, however, it still leans heavily on perception, results, and narrative rather than a clearly defined performance framework.
Traditionally, the top award gravitates toward a player from the league-winning team. On the surface, this is logical—success should be rewarded. But football is far more nuanced than that. If the best player must always come from the best team, then the award ceases to recognise individual excellence and instead becomes a reflection of the league table.
A more credible approach would be to establish a structured selection framework:
Availability: Significant participation (majority of matches or minutes played)
Consistency: Sustained performance across the campaign
Impact Metrics: Goals, assists, defensive contributions, or clean sheets
Context: Performance relative to team strength
Big Match Influence: Output in decisive fixtures
Per 90 Impact: Efficiency and influence relative to minutes played
Such a framework would bring fairness, structure, and accountability to the debate.
Season Context: The Key Debate
The dominance of Sundowns further complicates comparisons. Their squad depth allows for heavy—yet necessary—rotation, meaning even elite performers like Teboho Mokoena are frequently rested. This makes direct comparisons between players increasingly complex.
More revealing is the squad usage pattern: only a few Sundowns players consistently feature across most matches, while others are rotated heavily. This limits the ability of any single player to dominate every week statistically, even if their quality remains high.
In contrast, players from less dominant teams carry a heavier weekly responsibility, often playing full matches under greater pressure and less tactical control.
Why the Debate Matters
This season, two players have stood out above the rest: Relebohile Mofokeng and Oswin Appollis.
Mofokeng has been electric—arguably the most unplayable player in the league—consistently influencing games, creating chances, and delivering in decisive moments. Appollis, meanwhile, has combined creativity, consistency, and end product, playing a key role in both league and cup competitions.
Top Contenders (Based on Performance and Impact)
Conclusion
Until then, the award risks celebrating the most successful team’s best player—rather than the best player in the league.Until South African football aligns its voting process with a transparent, balanced, and data-informed system, the debate will remain predictable, divided, and, at times, fundamentally flawed.
Written by: Sandile Ndumo
