Luuk de Jong named Eredivisie Player of the Month for February

In February, PSV continued their unbeaten streak in the Eredivisie with a draw against Ajax (1-1) and victories over FC Volendam (1-5), Heracles Almelo (2-0), and PEC Zwolle (1-7). After 23 matches, the team managed by coach Peter Bosz has won 21 times this season, drawn only twice, and has a goal difference of +66 (77 goals for and 11 goals against).

In February, Luuk de Jong was involved in the most goals. In four matches, the 39-time former international scored five goals and provided two assists. The PSV striker scored twice with his left foot, once with his right, and twice with his head. He even became the first PSV player in eight years to score with his right foot, left foot, and head in a single league match (against PEC Zwolle). The last PSV player to achieve this feat was Luuk de Jong himself in September 2015 against SC Cambuur.

De Jong's versatility as a striker is evident in his season statistics as well. In the 2023/24 season, he scored six times with his left foot, eight times with his right foot, and eight times with his head. Particularly in terms of headed goals, Luuk de Jong stands out, having scored at least five more headed goals than any other player in the league.

Thanks to his goals last month, Luuk de Jong took the lead in the race for the Willy van der Kuylen trophy (22 goals). Against PEC Zwolle, he scored his eighth hat-trick in the Eredivisie: only Dirk Kuyjt and Klaas Jan Huntelaar (both with 9) have scored more hat-tricks in the Eredivisie this century than Luuk de Jong (8).

In addition to his excellent goal-scoring record, the 33-year-old forward had the most shots (20), shots on target (9), and - second only to his teammate Hirving Lozano (14) - created the most chances (12) in February. Luuk de Jong was also voted KPN Man of the Match by football fans three times.

For Luuk de Jong, it's his second Eredivisie Player of the Month award. The striker won his first monthly prize in April 2023. In the eight-year history of the award, it marks the sixteenth time that a PSV player has been chosen as Eredivisie Player of the Month, the second time this season (Joey Veerman, November 2023). Along with the trophy, De Jong also receives an Eredivisie Player of the Month card in the EA SPORTS FC™ 24 game.

Luuk de Jong faced competition in the monthly election from players such as Pelle van Amersfoort (sc Heerenveen) and Taylor Booth (FC Utrecht). However, due to his injury, Booth fell short by 15 minutes of meeting the requirement of at least 60% playing time.

The Eredivisie Player of the Month, Johan Cruyff Talent of the Month, and the Eredivisie Team of the Month are selected based on statistics (Opta) and votes from football fans (KPN Man of the Match). These criteria also play a role in the shortlist for the Eredivisie Player of the Year and Johan Cruyff Talent of the Year awards. These awards, along with those in the Azerion Women's Eredivisie, are presented each season at the Eredivisie Awards (2 September 2024).

The Eredivisie Player of the Month election is an initiative of the Eredivisie CV in collaboration with ESPN and EA SPORTS FC™ 24. The Johan Cruyff Talent of the Month election is organized by the Eredivisie CV in partnership with ESPN, the Cruyff Foundation, and the VriendenLoterij (Friends Lottery).