FOOTBALL fans have expressed mixed reactions to the 2025 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) Soccer Stars finalists that were chosen yesterday, although the general feeling is that this was probably the fairest selection in a very long time.
The 11 finalists, who illuminated the league in the just-ended season, were chosen by a panel of selectors comprising journalists, team captains, coaches, and selected football experts.
Despite surrendering the league title they won last year and finishing third, Simba Bhora provided three finalists in midfielder Emmanuel Ziocha, defender Ishe Mauchi, and goalkeeper William Thole.
Champions Scottland, who won the league on their debut season in the top flight, have two players on the list — striker Tymon Machope and influential defender Kelvin Moyo.
League runners-up MWOS, the Norton-based team that defied odds in their debut season, also saw two players included: Billy Veremu and Abubakar Moffat, the latter joining mid-season.
Other notable inclusions are Dynamos captain Emmanuel Jalai, rewarded for orchestrating the Harare giants' incredible escape from relegation, and TelOne's Washington Navaya, an easy choice after finishing the season as the league’s top goal scorer with 18 goals, one ahead of Machope. Highlanders skipper Andrew Mbeba and FC Platinum attacker Jarrison Selemani complete the list.
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The identity of the Soccer Star of the Year and his first and second runners-up, also selected from the 11 finalists, will be revealed at a banquet in Harare early next month.
The frontrunner for the Soccer Star of the Year is Moyo, who started in 33 of his team's 34 matches, anchoring a defence that conceded the fewest number of goals in the league.
His biggest threat to the throne comes from Navaya.
His sensational season saw him narrowly miss the 20-goal mark and was the engine that propelled TelOne to a shock top-five finish.
Ziocha is the dark horse for the big gong.
He was arguably the league's best player for the majority of the season, only to suffer a late-season slump.
The question now remains: did the sheer brilliance of his early performances do enough to convince the selectors, or will his late fade-out cost him?
Other awards, including Coach of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year, and Rookie of the Year, were also selected and will be announced at the banquet.
The Coach of the Year award is a straight fight between three contenders. Scottland title-winning coach Tonderai Ndiraya is the favourite to retain the award.
He built on his success from last season by guiding a debutant team to the ultimate prize.
Lloyd Mutasa of MWOS is his stiff competitor who led his debutant side to an improbable second-place finish, even leading the log standings for the better part of the season.
Then there is Kelvin Kaindu, who could also nick it after taking over with Dynamos deep in the relegation zone (eight points from safety with 11 matches remaining) and orchestrating an 11-match unbeaten run, winning six, to pull off an almost miraculous escape.
Thole is the overwhelming favourite for Goalkeeper of the Year for keeping the most clean sheets (18), while Scottland's Mafios Chihweta is the favourite for the Rookie of the Year award.
Referees and Fans' Player of the Year will also be revealed at the banquet.
In previous years, the selection process has received huge criticism, but this year's list has been generally accepted as fair.
There were notable absentees on the list, such as FC Platinum defender Nickson Nyasulu, who contributed to his team keeping 19 clean sheets, and TelOne's Tawanda Macheke, who had 19 goal contributions for his team.
However, the general mood was that the selection is probably the fairest indication of how players performed during the season.
Fans took to social media to express their satisfaction.
“Since I started playing football in Zimbabwe, this is the fairest selection I have ever witnessed in my whole life and career. I think for the last 5 or 6 years back based on performance and statistics, this is better and reasonable," wrote a fan using the handle Neymar Thiago.
Khulekani Mazibuko posted: "I can't change anything or anyone (on that list)," while Wesley Musungo wrote: "Fair enough, congratulations to all players voted in," accompanied by salute emojis.
However, some believe deserving players were omitted. "Nyasulu has better stats than all of the defenders [on the list]," said Thomas Wande.
Soccer Stars of the Year 11 finalists: Emmanuel Jalai (Dynamos), Tymon Machope, Kevin Moyo (Scottland), Ishe Mauchi, William Thole, Emmanuel Ziocha (Simba Bhora), Andrew Mbeba (Highlanders), Abubakar Moffat, Billy Veremu (Mwos), Washington Navaya (TelOne), Jarrison Selemani (FC Platinum).