Tom Boon is the third Red Lion to receive this “Player of the Year” accolade, after John-John Dohmen (2016) and Arthur Van Doren (2017 and 2018).
At over 35 years of age, the Red Lions forward is the third Belgian to win hockey’s most prestigious individual title, after John-John Dohmen (2016) and Arthur Van Doren (2017 and 2018).
“It’s fantastic!” It’s the ultimate reward for a hockey player, the equivalent of the Ballon d’Or in football,” the Belgian player told Belga. “It’s a wonderful individual award, but if I’ve chosen to play field hockey, it’s the collective aspect and team titles that come first.” The top scorer in the last season of the Pro League with the club Leopold had already been nominated in 2022 and was part of the “Best XI of the Year” in 2011.
From this year, the various trophies are awarded by the FIH, based on initial list of three nominees drawn up by a panel of experts. These nominees are then put to the vote by fans, media and member associations represented by national team captains and coaches. In the final rankings, Tom Boon took 50% of the vote, with Brinkman taking 34.6% and Della Torre 15.2%.
“This award is great motivation to continue my career with the national team until the 2026 World Cup in Wavre and, hopefully, the Los Angeles Olympics in two and a half years,” concluded the 2025 Player of the Year.
source: https://focusonbelgium.be/