Brazilian attacker Lucas Ribeiro celebrated a phenomenal 2024/25 season by dedicating his Premier Soccer League awards to his Mamelodi Sundowns teammates.
The star forward had a sensational evening at the awards ceremony on Tuesday, where he was honored with several of the league’s most prestigious accolades.
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A Clean Sweep of Top Honors
Ribeiro’s dominant performance throughout the season saw him win the Footballer of the Season award, beating out strong competition from Orlando Pirates’ Relebohile Mofokeng and Sekhukhune United’s Keletso Makgalwa.
His peers also recognized his exceptional talent, voting him the Players’ Player of the Season, a particularly significant award as it is determined solely by the votes of his fellow professional footballers.
In addition to these top honors, Ribeiro also claimed the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot for his impressive tally of 16 league goals.
His brilliant solo effort against Orlando Pirates, which saw him weave through the defense before a clinical finish, was voted the Goal of the Season. Overall, Ribeiro had an outstanding campaign, finishing with 21 goals and 14 assists.
Prize Money
The awards came with a substantial financial reward for Ribeiro, who earned a total of R550,000 in prize money. This included R250,000 for Footballer of the Season, R200,000 for Players’ Player of the Season, and R50,000 each for the Golden Boot and Goal of the Season.
Despite his individual success, Ribeiro remained humble and focused on his team. In an interview with The Citizen after the ceremony, he said, “What keeps me going is those close to me, my faith in God. Without those things I don’t think I’d be here.”
He continued by emphasizing the support he received from his teammates and coaches. “I believe all those people contributed. The players are always helping me and the coaches too. I’m very happy to represent them in the best way possible, just as they help me.”
He concluded by again thanking his teammates and the club’s supporters, stating, “It was an incredible season. I’m very happy to win the top goal scorer as well as other awards for goal of the season, players’ player of the season and football of the season.
“I’m very happy and thank you to my teammates and the supporters. It was a very good season but I don’t play alone so I want to say thank you to my teammates.”