PSL Young Player of the Year winners - Where are they now?

Some of South Africa's best youngsters have won the Premier Soccer League (PSL) Young Player of the Season award over the years.

The coveted accolade was introduced ahead of the 2008/09 campaign and there have been 11 winners including the current holder, Teboho Mokoena of SuperSport United.

The award which was previously known as the Red Hot Young Player of the Season is given to the most outstanding player under the age of 23 and the winner receives a trophy and prize money of R50 000.

We took a look at how Mokoena and the previous winners fared since they won the award:

2009 - BONGANI KHUMALO

The well-traveled defender scooped the first award after leading SuperSport United to the 2008/09 Absa Premiership title as the club captain.

Khumalo then moved to English side Tottenham Hotspur midway through the 2010/11 season, but he struggled for game time and he was loaned out to several clubs.

The former Bafana Bafana captain spent some time with Greek giants PAOK and English clubs Preston North End, Reading FC, Doncaster Rovers and Colchester United on loan from Tottenham.

Khumalo, who was part of the Bafana squad at the 2010 Fifa World Cup finals, returned home ahead of the 2015/16 campaign and he rejoined SuperSport, but he left the team for Bidvest Wits midway through the same season.

He helped Wits clinch the Absa Premiership title, MTN8 and Telkom Knockout Cup, before rejoining SuperSport where he is considered to be a club legend having won three league titles and one MTN8 trophy with the team.

2010: SIYANDA XULU

The lanky defender was named 2009/10 Young Player of the Season after playing an important role in helping Mamelodi Sundowns finish second in the Absa Premiership.

Xulu moved to FC Rostov two years later and enjoyed some success with the team as they clinched the Russian Cup in the 2013/14 campaign.

The Bafana Bafana international was then snapped up by Kaizer Chiefs in 2015, but he struggled for game time during his two-year spell with the Soweto giants.

He was signed by his current club, Maritzburg United in 2017 and he helped the team reach the 2019 Telkom Knockout Cup final where they lost to Sundowns.

2011: THULANI SERERO

The attacking midfielder won the accolade after inspiring Ajax Cape Town to a second-place finish in the Absa Premiership in the 2010/11 season.

The man nicknamed Cream, also won the PSL Footballer of the Year award, before joining Ajax Amsterdam where he won three Dutch Eredivisie titles and played in the Uefa Champions League.

Cream moved to Vitesse Arnhem in 2017 and the Bafana Bafana international played in the Uefa Europa League during his time two-year stint with the Dutch club.

Serero was snapped up by United Arab Emirates (UAE) side Al Jazira Club prior to the start of the current season and he has established himself as a key player.

2012 & 2013 RONWEN WILLIAMS

The reliable goalkeeper is the only player to have won the Young Player of the Season award twice since its inception.

Williams scooped his maiden accolade at the end of the 2011/12 season after helping SuperSport United secure a third-spot finish in the Absa Premiership as the first-choice keeper.

The newly-appointed SuperSport captain then retained the award after keeping 11 clean sheets from 28 league matches during the 2012/13 season.

The current Bafana Bafana first-choice goalkeeper has since won three Nedbank Cups, two MTN8 trophies and the Telkom Knockout Cup with Matsatsantsa and the PSL Goalkeeper of the Season award in 2019.

2014: KEAGAN DOLLY

The diminutive winger was named 2013/14 Young Player of the Season after impressing at Ajax Cape Town by scoring three times in 27 Absa Premiership games.

Dolly then moved to Mamelodi Sundowns in 2015 and he helped Masandawana clinch the league and cup (Telkom Knockout Cup) double in his first season with the team.

The left-footed player was one of Sundowns' key players as they clinched the 2016 CAF Champions League title, before moving to French side Montpellier HSC in 2017.

Dolly has struggled with injuries thus far at Montpellier having made 38 appearances in the Ligue 1 and scored once in the process.

2015: PHUMLANI NTSHANGASE

The defensive midfielder won the award after producing consistent performances for Bidvest Wits during the 2014/15 season.

Ntshangase was one of the Clever Boys' key players as they clinched the Absa Premiership title, MTN8 and Telkom Knockout Cup between 2016 and 2017 under coach Gavin Hunt.

The former South Africa under-23 international was then loaned out to SuperSport United during the 2018/19 season and he helped Matsatsantsa finish second in the 2018 MTN8.

Ntshangase, who played for South Africa at the 2016 Olympic Games, is currently on loan at Maritzburg United and he is expected to part ways with Wits at the end of the current campaign.

2016: AUBREY MODIBA

The versatile player caught the eye with his ability to excel as a left-back and left-winger at Cape Town City and he was named 2015/16 Young Player of the Season.

Modiba was signed by SuperSport United at the beginning of the following campaign and he scored in the 2017 Nedbank Cup which Matsatsantsa won.

The former South Africa under-23 international, who is nicknamed Postman, has since established himself as one of the best wingers in the Absa Premiership.

Postman has helped SuperSport clinch two MTN8 trophies and he is a Bafana Bafana international having also played for South Africa at the 2016 Olympic Games.

2017: PHAKAMANI MAHLAMBI

The speedy winger won the award after inspiring Bidvest Wits to the 2016/17 Absa Premiership title as he scored six league goals for the team.

His exploits attracted interest from Al Ahly, who signed him ahead of the 2017/18 season and he won the Egyptian Premier League title and Egyptian Super Cup.

Mahlambi returned home after one season in Egypt and the former Vitoria Guimaraes trialist joined Mamelodi Sundowns where he has enjoyed more success under coach Pitso Mosimane.

The former South Africa under-23 international has lifted the Absa Premiership title and Telkom Knockout Cup with Sundowns.

2018: SIPHESIHLE NDLOVU

The attacking midfielder impressed by netting five goals in the Absa Premiership for Maritzburg United and he was named 2017/18 Young Player of the Season.

Nicknamed Mbesuma, Ndlovu had also played a key role in helping the Team of Choice reach the 2018 Nedbank Cup final where they were defeated by Free State Stars.

Mbesuma, who played for Bafana Bafana at the 2018 Cosafa Cup, was one of Maritzburg's key players as they battled to avoid relegation from the PSL during the 2018/19 campaign and they survived.

The diminutive player is now on the books of Orlando Pirates, who signed him in June 2019 and he has been used as an impact player from the bench.

2019: TEBOHO MOKOENA

The midfield maestro scooped the accolade after establishing himself as one of the best box-to-box midfielders in the Absa Premiership last season (2018/19).

Mokoena missed only two of Matsatsantsa's 30 league matches and he also displayed his scoring ability as he hit the back of the net three times.

The South Africa under-23 international's stunning long-range effort during SuperSport's win over Lamontville Golden Arrows in February 2019 was nominated for the Goal of the Season award.

Mokoena, 23, has once again been a consistent performer for Matsatsantsa this season and he helped South Africa qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games which have been postponed for 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.