Napoli star Kalidou Koulibaly has been named Serie A Player of the Month, the first time that a defender has received his honour.
The Lega Serie A announced that the EA Sports Player of the Month award for September will be handed to Koulibaly ahead of Napoli’s match against Torino on Sunday October 17.
Statistics from the games played in September were used to calculate the best performer of that period.
These included technical efficiency at 96.8 per cent, physical efficiency of 96.2 per cent and Pressing index of 97.2 per cent.
It is the first time that the EA Sports Serie A Player of the Month award has gone to a defender.
Napoli are top of the table with 21 points from seven rounds and the only remaining club in Europe’s top five leagues with a perfect record this season.
Because of that extraordinary start, coach Luciano Spalletti was also named Serie A Coach of the Month for September.