2. Joao Victor – Hyderabad FC
A new signing for the Nizams, the Brazilian midfielder fit in very well with Manolo Marquez’s side. An utility player, who can also play at the heart of the defence, Victor defined the meaning of a rock at the midfield. Sitting just above the backline, he has made his contribution which was more or less underrated. The 33 year old has the experience of playing in the La Liga with Mallorca. He joined Hyderabad FC to bolster the squad which had worked wonders this season. From a low finish in the last season, the team has has emerged as one of the better performers this season. And not just that, they have been able to bring out the best in young Indian talents.
Joao Victor orchestrated the midfield, which was a strong link for the team. In spite of being in a deeper position, he scored 3 goals and has 2 assists as well. The work done by the Brazilian may be overshadowed by other players, but he has been rock solid in the defensive midfield, having made 731 passes and 902 touches in 17 matches. He also contributed defensively with 28 interceptions and 26 clearances most of which coming in the matches that he had to shift to the centre of the defence. Hyderabad FC’s dream run this season can be attributed mainly to a combination of bringing the best out of Indian talents and a wise use of foreign players. Victor held his place as a leader in the middle of the pitch.
1. Ahmed Jahouh – Mumbai City FC
The champions of India Mumbai City FC showed a great deal of quality with all its new players. One of them and probably the best of all was Ahmed Jahouh. The Moroccan signed with Mumbai City FC from Goa at the beginning of the season and continued to do what he had been doing for the past few years in the ISL. A natural ball player, he donned the defensive midfield position with his play. The ability to find spaces and picking out the right pass come in handy for him. He has made 1490 passes, 1827 touches which reflect the amount of time he gets on the ball. He makes an average of 74.5 passes per game. Mumbai City FC owes their success mostly to the service of strikers by the midfielders. Hugo Boumous and Jahouh had been doing that time and again for the team.
Though Jahouh is known to be rough in the tackles accumulating 5 yellow cards and 2 dismissals this season, that doesn’t do harm to his status of the best midfielder in the league. His through passes and crosses have bagged him 5 assists this season. Defensive duties are also on spot for the Moroccan as he made 33 interceptions and 42 clearances this season. His 173 tackles was the highest by anyone in the season. Dealing with the second balls and clearing up attacks do wonders for a team’s performance. This ability gave the edge for Mumbai to constantly initiate attacks and win matches. Moreover, the Moroccan also has dominance over the air and physical strength which tuned him into a complete player.
Mumbai City FC clicked at the right times and if anything has to be said about their performances, them winning both the winner’s shield and the ISL trophy says much about how they deserved their feat for their play throughout the campaign. All their foreign players were crucial to the success and Jahouh was one of the best performers in the team.
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