From Hanamub to Hotto: Top-performing foreign players in 2024/2025 PSL season
Image: BackpagePix
THE pre-season player transfer window comes with performance analysis by numbers as teams look to offload and strengthen their arsenals for the upcoming season.
For foreign players, this is usually means a great deal, with the Premier Soccer League (PSL) having foreign-player quotas in place.
So, Independent Media looked at the best performing foreign nationals from the PSL's 2024/2025 Premiership season.
Boasting names like Peter Shalulile, Riaan Hanamub, Deon Hotto and Elmo Kambindu, it is fair to say that Namibia were yet again the best represented country outside South Africa in the past season.
However, not all Namibian players make our top five list of the best performing foreign nationals...
Riaan Hanamub (Defender, AmaZulu – Namibia)
The 30-year-old left fullback was yet again one of the best, if not the best, in his position in the previous season.
His closest competition comes from the Zimbabwean-born Divine Lunga, who plays in the same position for Mamelodi Sundowns.
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However Lunga, only became a regular towards the end of the season, and as a result played only 10 league games.
Hanuman, though, was a regular for Usuthu, playing no less than 26 league games for the side that had at least three coaching changes.
Hanamub was a starter under Pablo Franco Martin, who in October was replaced by Vusumuzi Vilakazi and Arthur Zwane as co-coaches.
Hanamub continued to hold his own even after Vilakazi left Zwane as the sole head coach with about 10 games remaining to finish the season.
The Namibian recorded four assists to his name, proving to be an important cog in the team's attack as well. He remains an anchor for Usuthu, and in January, he was linked with a big move to Kaizer Chiefs.
Deon Hotto (Left wing-back, Orlando Pirates – Namibia)
Operating tirelessly with pace on the left flank from left back to left wing, Hotto is proving to be one of those age-defying players.
At 34, Hotto made 49 appearances for Pirates in all five competitions the Buccaneers participated in.
That includes 25 in the league and 14 Champions League games, where he produced six goals and eight assists.
He remains clubless after Pirates announced his release at the end of the season.
Peter Shalulile (Centre forward, Mamelodi Sundowns – Namibia)
Although his impact was way less than the season before, the 31-year-old Shalulile still shone for the Brazilians, scoring crucial goals when needed the most.
He made a total of 47 appearances in all competitions, scoring 11 goals with two assists.
Lucas Ribeiro Costa (Second striker, Mamelodi Sundowns – Brazil)
By far the best performing player in the PSL for the season, the Brazilian has more numbers on his.
Playing 50 games in all competitions, he scored 21 goals and made 14 assists.
Ribeiro's influence is with the ball at his feet, as he is able to take on defenders with ease and open up space for his teammates to slot into scoring spaces – if he doesn't score himself.
However, the 26-year-old will need to work on his temper as he raked in 12 yellow cards as well.
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