Nigerian international Calvin Bassey has been named Fulham’s Player of the Season for the 2024–25 campaign, becoming both the first Nigerian and the first African to receive the club’s top individual honour.
The Super Eagles defender has been a rock at the heart of Marco Silva’s team, playing a pivotal role in Fulham’s impressive 11th-place finish in the Premier League.
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Now in his second season at Craven Cottage following his move from Ajax in 2023, Bassey cemented his place as a key figure in Fulham’s defence.
To claim the award, Bassey edged out strong competition, including Raúl Jiménez; Fulham’s top scorer with 12 goals, and fellow Nigeria international Alex Iwobi, who played in all 38 league matches and contributed nine goals and six assists across all competitions.
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After finishing as runner-up in his debut season, Bassey has now gone one better, emerging as the clear winner in the final round of voting:
Calvin Bassey – 39.6%
Alex Iwobi – 21.5%
Antonee Robinson – 19.9%
Bernd Leno – 10.9%
Saša Lukić – 8.1%
The 25-year-old featured in 35 of Fulham’s 38 Premier League matches, scoring once and consistently turning in strong performances throughout the season.
A super season for our Super Eagle! 🦅
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) June 13, 2025
Based on statistics (the facts and figures), Bassey was one of the team’s most dependable defenders. He helped the Cottagers keep five clean sheets and averaged 0.6 interceptions, 1.5 tackles, 4.8 ball recoveries, and 3.2 clearances per game, while committing only one error that led to a goal.
He also made appearances in the FA Cup, where Fulham reached the quarterfinals before being knocked out by eventual winners Crystal Palace. Bassey played a crucial role in the dramatic Fifth Round victory over Manchester United, where he capped an outstanding performance with a rare but vital opening goal.
Bassey’s triumph marks a landmark moment, making him the first Nigerian and African player to be named Fulham’s Player of the Season since the award was first introduced.
The inaugural winner was Luís Boa Morte in the 2004–05 season. Other notable names on the list of past recipients include Brian McBride, Clint Dempsey, Ross McCormack, and Aleksandar Mitrović; several of whom won the award multiple times. Last season, the honour went to US international Antonee Robinson.
The enigmatic defender has also reacted to the win, showing appreciation to all who voted him as the player of the season.
“Thank you guys for voting me Player of the Season,” Bassey said. “I want to thank God – without God I wouldn’t be where I am.
“Big up all my team, guys who are not necessarily at the Club, who have been helping me.
“Obviously, thanks to the coaching staff and the Manager for trusting me and believing in me. Hopefully we can do amazing things next season, so thank you for your support guys.”
Bassey and Iwobi now join a select group of Nigerians who have represented the Cottagers over the years, including Ola Aina, Dickson Etuhu, Sone Aluko, and Ademola Lookman.
![A map showing the border between Nigeria and Cameroon [Photo credit: CrossRiverWatch]](https://i0.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2017/10/nigeria-cameroon-map1.png?fit=651%2C423&ssl=1)
