Best African in LALIGA: Pape Gueye claims prestigious SPORTY MVP award

Pape Gueye has been named the 2025/26 SPORTY LALIGA MVP after emerging as the best African player in LALIGA EA SPORTS following an impressive campaign with Villarreal CF.

The Senegal international secured 38 per cent of the votes cast by fans and a panel of expert journalists from across Sub-Saharan Africa, finishing ahead of Iñaki Williams and Nicolas Pépé.

The award was presented on the final day of the LALIGA season at an event held in Lagos, Nigeria, attended by football fans, media personalities, influencers and members of the African football community.

Former African stars Alex Song and Geremi Njitap were among the guests at the ceremony.

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Williams, a two-time winner of the award, finished second with 24 per cent of the votes, while Pépé, Gueye’s Villarreal teammate, came third with 22 per cent.

Reacting after receiving the award, Gueye said: “It’s a real source of pride, and an honour, to be named the best African player in LALIGA. It’s the first individual award of my career, and it means a lot to me because in everything I achieve, I’m also representing all of Senegal.”

The 27-year-old midfielder played a crucial role in Villarreal’s successful season, helping the club qualify for the UEFA Champions League for a second consecutive campaign.

Reflecting on his form and contribution to the Spanish side, Gueye added: “Right now at Villarreal I’m experiencing the best moment of my career. I want to thank everyone who voted for me, as well as the staff and players, because you never win an individual trophy alone.”

According to organisers, fan participation in this year’s voting process increased by more than 150 per cent compared to the previous edition, underlining the growing popularity of LALIGA across Africa.

Miguel Puche, Brand Director of Sporty Group, praised Gueye’s performances and influence during the season.

“At SPORTY we are delighted to congratulate Pape on his win. His performances this season have been a powerful reminder of the quality, character and influence of African players in LALIGA EA SPORTS. We are proud to celebrate that talent through this award and bring fans across Africa closer to the players, clubs and stories shaping the league,” he said.

Also speaking, Tresor Penku, Managing Director of LALIGA Africa, said: “We congratulate Pape on being named this season’s SPORTY LALIGA MVP after a remarkable campaign with Villarreal CF. We also thank the journalists and thousands of fans across Africa who took part in the vote. Their engagement shows the depth of passion for LALIGA EA SPORTS across the continent and the continued impact of African players at the highest level of Spanish football.”

Gueye now joins a distinguished list of previous winners that includes Williams, Samuel Chukwueze and Yassine Bounou.

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