New Delhi [India]: The Mohun Bagan Super Giants decisively retained the League Shield as the Indian Super League (ISL) league stage came to an end. According to the ISL’s official website, FC Goa, Bengaluru FC, NorthEast United FC, Jamshedpur FC, and Mumbai City FC joined them in the playoffs.

The league’s finest players will try to light up the playoff stage and make another impact on the season, as the top six clubs in the league stage will compete for the ISL Cup after the international break.

Even though their clubs didn’t make the cut, several of the ISL’s best players will still be unable to participate in the playoffs since seven teams were eliminated at the conclusion of the league round.

After joining the Kalinga Warriors in the summer, Hugo Boumous led their midfield and didn’t let anybody down. Since he effectively appeared in the gaps between the defensive and midfield lines, he was a continual annoyance to defensive midfielders, who struggled to control him. He caused a lot of damage to the opposition and almost put Odisha FC into the playoffs with his five goals and seven assists.

After Chennaiyin FC missed out on the top six, Connor Shields, one of the regular season’s outstanding players, would not be participating in the playoffs. Nonetheless, the Chennaiyin FC team’s creative center was the Scottish midfielder. In addition to creating more opportunities than any other player in the league (76), he has now tallied the most assists this season (8). Adrian Luna of Kerala Blasters FC is the second-best player in this measure, despite creating 21 fewer opportunities.

In order to replace ISL 2023–24 Golden Boot winner Dimitrios Diamantakos, Kerala Blasters FC needed a successor. The Spaniard, Jesus Jimenez, was the ideal choice since he was a goal danger for the Blasters throughout the season. The Blasters would want to rely on him again next season after his remarkable return of 11 goals in his first ISL season, which puts him tied for third position in the league’s goal scoring standings at the conclusion of the season.

Diego Mauricio, the frontman for Odisha FC, has been a reliable player in the ISL for many years. Although he was unable to lead Odisha FC to the playoffs, the Brazilian had another strong season. Despite increasing competition for his spot in the squad, Mauricio was the unifying factor that held the Juggernauts’ attack together and emerged as their main goal threat with nine goals and six assists.

After moving from FC Goa to Kerala Blasters FC, Noah Sadaoui didn’t take long to shine in the yellow and blue. Despite only playing 19 games this season, the Moroccan returned with seven goals and five assists after suffering injuries after a strong start. The Blasters would have been nearer the playoff places than they were if he had been healthy.

The crowd were captivated by PV Vishnu, the bright spot of East Bengal FC’s season. Vishnu, a livewire on the wings, became the most important member of the Red and Gold Brigade this season. In addition, he returned with four goals and three assists to support his efforts. The 23-year-old demonstrated every trait needed to be a future mainstay for East Bengal FC.

Luka Majcen, the Shers’ Mr. Consistent, performed well once again, with 10 goals and three assists. His totals may have been much higher if he hadn’t missed a few games because of injuries. Even though Punjab FC lost the playoffs after a great start, Majcen once again served as an example to a youthful club and led the pack well.

This season, Mohammedan SC’s finest player was the Argentine midfielder, whose enthusiasm and skill raised the team’s level. Alexis Gomez ranked sixth in the league in terms of creating opportunities with 38. Throughout the league season, he also completed 615 passes. Additionally, he had 20 shots on goal this season, which was by far the most of any Mohammedan SC player.

Irfan Yadwad contributed nine goals throughout his outstanding season. The 23-year-old was a consistent goal threat for Owen Coyle’s club, generating 20 opportunities for them this season, making him one of the top Indian attackers. His call-up to the Indian national squad was well-earned, and he will be hoping to make a lasting impact while wearing the Indian blue.

One of Punjab FC’s most reliable players this season was 24-year-old defender-turned-midfielder Nikhil Prabhu, who established himself as the team’s center midfielder. Prabhu had exceptional tactical discipline to carry out his duty to the utmost, topping the records for the most interceptions (56). Despite playing a deeper position in midfield, he still generated seven opportunities for his side and won 31 tackles. In recent seasons, the Shers have greatly benefited from his flexibility.

The ISL 2024–25 Playoffs will start on March 29. The knockout stages will take place on March 29–30, while the two-leg semifinals will take place on April 2–3 and April 6–7. On Saturday, April 12, the highly anticipated Final of the 2024–25 season will take place.