It’s that time of year again, another season has flown by. A season that started with Sousa Cintra and José Peseiro but fortunately did not end in that way. Instead a Taça de Portugal, a Taça da Liga and some fairly middling league form. Vamos.
Goal of the Season: Bruno Fernandes vs. Benfica (Link) – This really should be called the Bruno Fernandes award. This is a ridiculous freekick from a ridiculous distance that turned out to be a hugely significant goal over the course of both legs. And it was against Benfica.
Runners Up: 2. Nani vs. Qarabag (Link), 3. Jovane Cabral vs. Rio Ave (Link)
Bonus: Bruno Fernandes vs. Benfica (Link), Jérémy Mathieu vs. Nacional (Link), Bruno Fernandes vs. Braga (Link), Bruno Fernandes vs. Villarreal (Link), Bruno Fernandes vs. Boavista (Link)
2018: Bruno Fernandes vs. Tondela (Link)
2017: Gelson Martins vs. Paços de Ferreira (Link)
2016: João Mário vs. Vitória de Setúbal (Link)
2015: Nani vs. Gil Vicente (Link)
2014: Carlos Mané vs. Marítimo (Link)
2013: Ricky van Wolfswinkel vs. Braga (Link)
2012: Marat Izmailov vs. Rio Ave (Link)
Worst signing of the season: Bruno Gaspar – Not Bruno de Carvalho’s finest signing. Gaspar has been an obvious weak point in the team whenever he’s played and has not looked anywhere good enough to be a Sporting player. Unfortunately, due to Stefan Ristovski’s ability to get sent off for minor infractions, he has had to be called up fairly often this season.
Runners up: 2. Marcelo Ferreira (quickly sent packing to America), 3. Abdoulay Diaby (had a good game, once)
2018: 1. Seydou Doumbia, 2. Rúben Ribeiro, 3. Mattheus Oliveira
2017: 1. Luc Castaignos, 2. Lazar Markovic, 3. Elias
2016: 1. Hernán Barcos, 2. Michaël Ciani, 3. Bruno Paulista
2015: 1. Simeon Slavchev, 2. Naby Sarr, 3. Ramy Rabia
2014: 1. Gérson Magrão, 2. Welder, 3. Iván Piris
2013: 1. Khalid Boulahrouz, 2. Danijel Pranjic, 3. Gelson Fernandes
2012: 1. Valeri Bojinov, 2. Luis Aguiar, 3. Elias
Best signing of the season: Luiz Phellype – For €500,000 this is now looking to be like quite the bargain for Sporting. Coming in from the Segunda Liga after his transfer from Paços de Ferreira, Luiz Phellype initally looked way out of his depth. Having to fill in for the struggling Bas Dost he looked more like Hernán Barcos. However, he found his feet eventually and scored 8 goals in the last 10 games of the season as well as cooly slotting home the final penalty in the shoot out against Porto in the Taça de Portugal.
Runners up: 2. Cristián Borja (a competent left-back), 3. Stefan Ristovski (decent when not sent off)
2018: 1. Bruno Fernandes, 2. Jérémy Mathieu, 3. Cristiano Piccini
2017: 1. Bas Dost, 2. Beto, 3. Gelson Dala
2016: 1. Jorge Jesus, 2. Bryan Ruiz, 3. Bruno César
2015: 1. Paulo Oliveira, 2. Nani, 3. Ewerton
2014: 1. Leonardo Jardim, 2. Islam Slimani, 3. Jefferson
2013: 1. Fabrice Fokobo, 2. Marcos Rojo, 3. Zakaria Labyad
2012: 1. Stijn Schaars, 2. Ricky van Wolfswinkel, 3. Emiliano Insúa
Most under-utilised player: Francisco Geraldes – Loaned out against the wishes of just about everyone (along with Matheus Pereira, João Palhinha, Domingos Duarte) the midfielder’s time in Germany was ruined by injury and he didn’t manage to get a single game. Unfortunately, even when he returned appearances where hard to come by. Geraldes is unlikely to get in the team ahead of Bruno Fernandes but Marcel Keizer decided against bringing him on from the bunch more often than not. Unfortunately, it looks like he may not be part of the plans for next season.
Runners up: 2. Miguel Luís (promising start but confusion about his future), 3. Jovane Cabral (excellent start but an inconsistent 2019)
2018: 1. João Palhinha, 2. Wendel, 3. André Pinto
2017: 1. Paulo Oliveira, 2. Ricardo Esgaio, 3. Matheus Pereira
Sub-23 player of the season: (Formerly the B Team player of the season) Paulinho – The Brazilian has been an ever-present figure in the Sub-23 side this season. Paulinho has been loan from Fluminense for the last season but this summer well decide his fate, dependant on whether Sporting and Fluminense can negotiate a fee. Should it happen Paulinho will be looking to make the step up to the first team next season, or a loan to another Primeira Liga side could be an option. However, the arrival of Mateus Nunes from Estoril may mean Paulinho will stay in Brazil.
Runners up: 2. Bruno Paz (unfortunate to the end the season with a bad injury), 3. Pedro Mendes (improved leaps and bounds)
2018: 1. Rafael Barbosa, 2. Pedro Marques, 3. Ivanildo Fernandes
2017: 1. Gelson Dala, 2. Leonardo Ruiz, 3. Ivanildo Fernandes
2016: 1. Daniel Podence, 2. Francisco Geraldes, 3. Matheus Pereira
2015: 1. Wallyson Mallmann, 2. Gelson Martins, 3. Ryan Gauld
2014: 1. Ricardo Esgaio, 2. Iuri Medeiros, 3. Wallyson Mallmann
2013: 1. Ricardo Esgaio, 2. Eric Dier, 3. Bruma
Young player of the season: Wendel – It’s easy to forget that Wendel is just 21-years old. The Brazilian midfielder initially struggled and found game time difficult to find under Sousa Cintra and Jorge Jesus but Marcel Keizer has made him a fixture in his midfield since then. There is still lots of room for Wendel to mature and improve and should he do so he could be an excellent all-round midfielder.
Runners up: 2. Raphinha (was instrumental in the early part of the season), 3. Jovane Cabral (raw talent, may need a loan move)
2018: 1. Bruno Fernandes, 2. Gelson Martins, 3. Rafael Leão
2017: 1. Gelson Martins, 2. Daniel Podence, 3. Matheus Pereira
2016: 1. João Mário, 2. Gelson Martins, 3. Carlos Mané
2015: 1. Paulo Oliveira, 2. João Mário, 3. Carlos Mané
2014: 1. William Carvalho, 2. Carlos Mané, 3. André Carrillo
2013: 1. André Martins, 2. Eric Dier, 3. Tiago Ilori
2012: 1. Ricky van Wolfswinkel, 2. André Martins, 3. André Carrillo
Player of the season: Bruno Fernandes – Christ. What a season, and what a player. A historic season for Bruno Fernandes in which he become the highest top goalscorer from midfield in a single season.
After the events of last summer, the resigning of Fernandes meant he had a lot to win over some fans, especially after being made captain. There was a lot of scepticism but Bruno Fernandes became a match winner, scoring big goals and brilliant goals and dragging the team forwards. Probably the best player the club has had in many years. He’ll be off in summer, of course, but this season he was a joy to watch.
Runners up: 2. Jérémy Mathieu (how does he do it, the old smoking Frenchman?), 3. Marcos Acuña (never gives up)
2018: 1. Bruno Fernandes, 2. Rui Patrício, 3. Gelson Martins
2017: 1. Bas Dost, 2. Gelson Martins, 3. Sebastián Coates
2016: 1. Islam Slimani, 2. Adrien Silva, 3. João Mário
2015: 1. André Carrillo, 2. Nani, 3. Adrien Silva
2014: 1. William Carvalho, 2. Adrien Silva, 3. Cédric Soares
2013: 1. Rui Patrício, 2. Diego Capel, 3. Fabián Rinaudo
2012: 1. Rui Patrício, 2. Stijn Schaars, 3. Ricky van Wolfswinkel