Sem Steijn has been elected Player of the Year of the Eredivisie season 2024/2025. The 23-year-old midfielder succeeds PSV striker Luuk de Jong. PSV attacker Renate Jansen won the election for women.
Steijn received the honorary award after an impressive Eredivisie season for FC Twente, in which he scored 24 times. The midfielder trumped the other nominees Igor Paixão (Feyenoord), Davy Klaassen and Kenneth Taylor (both Ajax) and Ismael Saibari (PSV).
The nominations were based on data from statistics bureau Opta and the selections for KPN Man of the Match during the football season. Based on this, PSV midfielder Malik Tillman, among others, was not selected. The Eredivisie captains ultimately chose the winner.
Steijn also received the award for top scorer of the Dutch competition earlier in the evening, which is named after Eredivisie top scorer of all time Willy van der Kuijlen. Steijn remained well ahead of number two Paixão (16 goals) on the top scorers list. He was the first midfielder since Jari Litmanen in the 1993/1994 season to score more than twenty goals in one season.
The Talent of the Year award went to Ajax defender Jorrel Hato, who narrowly missed out on the national title with his club. The nineteen-year-old Hato finished ahead of Paxten Aaronson (FC Utrecht), Jakob Breum (Go Ahead Eagles), Givairo Read (Feyenoord) and Luciano Valente (FC Groningen).
As part of the award, Hato may open his own Cruyff Court at a location of his choice. Last year, PSV attacker Johan Bakayoko won the honorary award.
Internationals Jansen and Buurman in the awards
Jansen crowned herself Player of the Year of the Eredivisie Women in her penultimate season as a professional footballer. She previously won the award while playing for FC Twente. Femke Bastiaen (FC Utrecht), Ella Van Kerkhoven (Feyenoord), Jaimy Ravensbergen (FC Twente) and Danique Tolhoek (Ajax) missed out on the award.
Ravensbergen did not go home empty-handed. The attacker was allowed to receive the award for top scorer of the Eredivisie season for women. She scored 23 times in the competition and played an important role in FC Twente’s championship.
Veerle Buurman won the election for Talent of the Year in the Women’s Eredivisie. She finished ahead of Lynn Groenewegen (FC Twente), Daliyah de Klonia (Ajax), Toko Koga (Feyenoord) and Tolhoek (Ajax). Buurman succeeds Lily Johannes, who was allowed to receive the award last year.
Buurman played for PSV on loan last season and will play for English top club Chelsea next season. This summer, the nineteen-year-old top talent will probably go to the European Championship in Switzerland with Oranje.
Linssen makes most beautiful goal
Bryan Linssen won the Goal of the Year award this year thanks to his beautiful goal for NEC against NAC. The 34-year-old attacker skillfully shot the ball from his own half over NAC goalkeeper Kostas Lamprou.