The Indian Super League: The Indian Super League (ISL) league stage reached its conclusion with Mohun Bagan Super Giant retaining the League Shield in emphatic fashion. Joining them in the playoffs were FC Goa, Bengaluru FC, NorthEast United FC, Jamshedpur FC and Mumbai City FC.
With the best six teams in the league stage set to battle it out for the ISL Cup after the international break, the league’s best players will look to light up the playoff stage and leave another impression on the season.
However, with seven teams bowing out at the end of the league stage, some of the ISL’s top performers will miss out on the playoffs with their teams failing to make the cut. But, their absence doesn’t make their contributions this season any less remarkable.
As the dust settles on an incredible league campaign, here’s a look at some of the best players from ISL 2024-25 who left their mark on an intriguing league season.
Hugo Boumous (Odisha FC)
The attacking midfielder joined the Kalinga Warriors in the summer and didn’t disappoint as he spearheaded their midfield. He was a constant nuisance for defensive midfielders as most found it hard to contain him as he efficiently popped up in spaces between the midfield and defensive lines. With five goals and seven assists to his name, he did plenty of damage to the opponents and almost got Odisha FC into the playoffs.
Connor Shields (Chennaiyin FC)
One of the best players in the league season, Shields won’t be a part of the playoffs after Chennaiyin FC fell short of the top six. However, the Scottish midfielder was the creative hub of the Chennaiyin FC side. He has the most assists this season (8) so far and also created more chances than any other player in the league (76). The second-best player in this metric is Kerala Blasters FC’s Adrian Luna who created 21 chances fewer.
Jesus Jimenez (Kerala Blasters FC)
Kerala Blasters FC had a void to fill to replace the ISL 2023-24 Golden Boot winner Dimitrios Diamantakos. But in Jimenez, they found a perfect replacement as the Spaniard was a goal threat for the Blasters all season long. A return of 11 goals in his debut ISL season which sees him placed joint third in the leaderboard for most goals scored at the end of the league season is an impressive feat and the Blasters would want to count on him again next season.
Diego Mauricio (Odisha FC)
The Odisha FC frontman has been a consistent performer over the years in the ISL and despite not being able to take Odisha FC into the playoffs, the Brazilian had another solid season. With nine goals and six assists, Mauricio was the glue that bound the Juggernauts’ attack together and emerged as their biggest goal threat despite growing competition for his place in the team.
Noah Sadaoui (Kerala Blasters FC)
Having switched to Kerala Blasters FC from FC Goa, Sadaoui needed no time to sparkle in the yellow and blue. After a fast start, injuries troubled the Moroccan but he still returned with seven goals and five assists to his name despite playing just 19 games this season. Had he been fit, the Blasters would have been closer to the playoff spots than where they ended up being.
PV Vishnu (East Bengal FC)
The shining light of East Bengal FC’s season, PV Vishnu captured the imagination of the fans. A livewire on the wings, Vishnu grew into being the Red and Gold Brigade’s most influential player this season. He also backed up his performances with a return of four goals and three assists. The 23-year-old showed all the qualities of being one of the pillars of the East Bengal FC team for the future.
Luka Majcen (Punjab FC)
The Shers’ Mr Consistent delivered yet again notching up ten goals and three assists to his name. He missed a few games due to injury without which his tallies could have been even bigger. Majcen once again was a source for inspiration for a young team and led the pack incredibly well even though Punjab FC faded away after a strong start to miss out on the playoffs.
Alexis Gomez (Mohammedan SC)
The Argentine midfielder was Mohammedan SC’s best player this season as his energy and craft in midfield elevated the standard of the team. He created 38 chances, placing him eighth in the metric in the league. He also completed 615 passes in the league season. He also shot on goal 20 times this season, the best for any Mohammedan SC player by some distance.
Irfan Yadwad (Chennaiyin FC)
The Chennaiyin FC striker had a brilliant season as he made nine goal contributions. The 23-year-old emerged as one of the best Indian forwards this season as he was a constant goal threat for Owen Coyle’s team, creating 20 chances for them. He deservedly earned a call-up to the Indian national team and will be looking to leave a lasting impression in the blue of India.
Nikhil Prabhu (Punjab FC)
The 24-year-old defender turned midfielder was one of Punjab FC’s most consistent performers this season as he made the central midfielder position his own. Topping the charts for most interceptions (56), Prabhu displayed extreme tactical discipline to perform his role to the fullest. He also won 31 tackles and created seven chances for his team despite playing in a deeper role in midfield. His versatility has been a huge asset to the Shers in the last few seasons.
Nikhil Prabhu (Punjab FC)
Article Source: IANS
