PSV have been running riot in the Eredivisie and are already up 11 points over Feyenoord and 16 over Ajax. The Eindhoven side follow it up with a dominating performance in the Team of the Season so far.
As we come up to a time of reflection, it's a point for Flashscore to also look back at the best performers to comprise the Eredivisie Team of the 2025/26 season so far.
Note: Selected players are based on Flashscore's internal ratings system and candidates must have played 750 minutes, which is around half of the playing time available. Selection focuses on rating over specific position.
GK: Stijn van Gassel (Excelsior) - 7.2
After winning promotion to the Eredivisie, Excelsior are in a respectable 12th spot at the midway point of the season. Steady goalkeeping has been a significant factor in that: Stijn van Gassel has recorded the highest save percentage among all eligible goalkeepers (77.9%) and ranks seventh of 18 with 61 total saves.
His percentage of saved shots from inside the box (76.5%) also comfortably ranks at the very top, with Sparta's Joel Drommel coming in second with a 70.3% save rate.
LB: Souffian El Karouani (FC Utrecht) - 7.6
It is expected that Souffian El Karouani will leave the Eredivisie this January, and it's not hard to see why. The Moroccan left-back has been an unbelievably reliable weapon for FC Utrecht, already providing nine assists and creating 52 chances in the opening 17 games - both league-leading numbers.
El Karouani, who wasn't called up for Morocco's AFCON campaign, has mostly been incredibly effective from set pieces, creating a staggering 32 chances from corners or free-kicks.
CB: Ko Itakura (Ajax) - 7.4
The first of two Japanese defenders in our Team of the Season so far, Ajax's Ko Itakura has made the most of his return to the Dutch Eredivisie. The former FC Groningen centre-half has also played as a holding midfielder, but spent most of his time in the heart of the defence.
The effect of the Japanese international is tangible, with a 92.2% pass completion rate, built on a 95% completion rate on his own half and an 87.4% completion rate on the opposition half - both of which rank in the top 10 in the league. His 0.82 fouls per 90 minutes (121st in the league) and 77.8% tackle win rate also rank highly in the Eredivisie.
CB: Tsuyoshi Watanabe (Feyenoord) - 7.2
Itakura's Japanese partner in defence is Feyenoord's Tsuyoshi Watanabe, who's been a defensive force for the Rotterdam side. Watanabe's 85 won duels and 62.% duel win rate both rank 10th among eligible defenders, and his 123 completed passes into the final third rank fifth among eligible centre-backs.
RB: Sergino Dest (PSV) - 7.3
It was a long and lonesome road on the way to a full recovery for Sergino Dest, who suffered an excruciating torn ACL in April 2024. Once the Dutch-American full-back returned, though, he immediately proved his worth.
This season is the first since Dest's first major injury, but it's hard to see that back in his game. Dest completed 276 passes into the final third, an unbelievable 96 more than the next best eligible defender. Dest also created 20 chances and provided four assists, the second-most among all eligible defenders.
MID: Joey Veerman (PSV) - 8.2
No Flashscore team of Eredivisie standouts could ever be complete without PSV's Joey Veerman. The midfielder general reigns supreme with an average rating of 8.2 after a sensational first half of his season.
Veerman already beat his previous season-best in league goals in November and is now up to eight goals and seven assists in the Eredivisie, which ranks him second in the goal contribution table behind only Ayase Ueda (18 goals). Veerman is the catalyst of every PSV attack, as shown by his passing numbers in the final third: his 418 attempted and 348 completed final-third passes both rank first by a wide margin.
The midfielder created 13 big chances, ranking him second in the league in that category as well. PSV will be more than happy that he'll stay put after nearly moving to Fenerbahce in the upcoming transfer window.
MID: Mauro Junior (PSV) - 7.6
The incredibly versatile Mauro Junior is getting high praises from around the league and has even prompted some to ask for his first Oranje nod. Mauro Junior has played in defence and midfield, where he has been phenomenal this season. The Brazilian created 23 chances and completed 89.4% of his 733 passes, ranking him 16th among all eligible players.
Most importantly, however, are Mauro's five assists. The 26-year-old is just one assist away from tying his career-best and has done so in about half the number of games (13 to 25).
MID: Ismael Saibari (PSV) - 7.5
Ismael Saibari completes a dominant PSV midfield trio after another sensational start to his season. In 16 games, the Moroccan midfielder scored nine goals and provided four assists - numbers that could've been much higher if Saibari had converted some of his 13 missed big chances. You can forgive him the missed chances by realising that he also created 28, though.
Saibari, who is currently defending his national colours at the AFCON, has acted as PSV's de facto striker, along with Guus Til, when the team were missing Alassane Plea, Myron Boadu and Ricardo Pepi. It resulted in Saibari scoring one of the five hat-tricks scored in the Eredivisie so far.
LW: Mika Godts (Ajax) - 7.4
It has been a rocky season for Ajax. Manager John Heitinga was fired in November, the team won just one in six league games at one point, and PSV are already 16 points ahead at the midway point.
The collective struggles have made winger Mika Godts looks exceptional this season. The young Belgian has created 34 chances from open play so far, leading the league in that category. His 13 goal contributions (7G, 6A) in 15 games have also helped Ajax massively, and his 33 completed dribbles (46.5% completion rate) tie for the league lead.
ST: Ayase Ueda (Feyenoord) - 7.5
It has been the year of Ayase Ueda so far. Feyenoord's star striker filled a void left by Santiago Gimenez, who left for AC Milan at the start of the calendar year, and has already made the fans forget their former Mexican star.
Ueda has scored 18 goals in 17 games, with his four-goal performance against PEC Zwolle the absolute highlight. His performances have not gone unnoticed in his native Japan, where he was named Japanese Player of the Year by the Players' Association. And in the Netherlands, Ueda is virtually ahead of Coen Dillen's single-season Eredivisie record, being up three goals from Dillen's total by round 17.
RW: Anis Hadj Moussa (Feyenoord) - 7.4
Feyenoord have struggled a little as of late, but their struggles cannot make us overlook Anis Hadj Moussa. The Algerian trickster, who's been promoted to team captain by Robin van Persie, has recorded eight goal contributions in 15 games (5G, 3A), which puts him just three behind last season's total.
Hadj Moussa leads the league in completed dribbles with 33, and his 32 created chances rank him fourth among all eligible forwards. If anyone is to propel Feyenoord back into form, it'll be Hadj Moussa.