There were no surprises on Monday night at the Pro League Awards in Antwerp, as Christos Tzolis of Club Brugge was named the best player of the past Jupiler Pro League season.
The 24-year-old Greek international secured just over 22% of the votes, narrowly beating teammate Hans Vanaken, who garnered 14.06%.
Adem Zorgane, representing runners-up and Cup winners Union Saint-Gilloise, came in third with 7.56%. Zakaria El Ouahdi (KRC Genk) and Ryotaro Ito (STVV) completed the top five.
Tzolis succeeds Swiss international Ardon Jashari, his former teammate at Club Brugge, who held the honour last season.
Known for his impressive statistics, Tzolis scored 22 goals and provided 29 assists in 52 matches for the reigning champions.
Despite a challenging winter marked by illness, and missing out on the Golden Shoe award, he played a decisive role during the Champions’ Play-offs, tallying eight goals and ten assists.
Over a 14-match run, he contributed at least one goal or assist in every game.
A lucrative transfer is likely this summer, even though his contract with Club Brugge runs until mid-2029.
Tzolis is currently valued at €30 million on Transfermarkt, with Club Brugge aiming to set a new transfer record for his departure.
This marks the 42nd edition of the award, previously known as Professional Footballer of the Year.
Marc Degryse remains the all-time record-holder with four wins.
