UNFP Names Neymar Jr. Best Player of the 2017–2018 Season

May 13 was a day of many awards for the Paris Saint-Germain team. At the UNFP awards ceremony, trophies were presented to players in recognition of their performances throughout this Ligue 1 season, and Neymar Jr. won two.

Organized by the Union of Professional Soccer Players, the ceremony was practically a PSG affair, with eight of its players receiving awards. With six players honored, Brazil was the country with the most trophies. In addition to Neymar Jr., Daniel Alves, Malcom, Marquinhos, Luiz Gustavo, and Thiago Silva all walked away with trophies in hand.

Neymar Jr. competed against his teammates Cavani and Mbappé, as well as Florian Thauvian of Olympique de Marseille, for the night’s top award: Best Player of the Season. The team’s No. 10, in his first season, led the league in assists (13) and was the third-leading scorer (20 goals in 20 games), and he won the trophy.

His second award came when he was named to the 2017–2018 Ligue 1 All-Star Team, which, in addition to the star player, included: Steve Mandanda (Olympique de Marseille), Daniel Alves (PSG), Marquinhos (PSG), Thiago Silva (PSG), and Ferland Mendy (Lyon); Luis Gustavo (Olympique de Marseille), Marco Verratti (PSG), and Nabil Fekir (Lyon); Kylian Mbappé (PSG) and Edinson Cavani (PSG).

“I’d like to thank my teammates and my entire staff. I’m very moved and very happy with our season. I also want to thank my family and my friends, and I just want to say that I’m very happy and very grateful. If it weren’t for my teammates, I wouldn’t have received this award,” concluded Neymar Jr. as he took the stage and accepted the trophy from Ronaldo Fenômeno.