The 18-year-old was presented with his award at half-time of the Men's senior fixture against Everton, having been a near ever-present at the heart of Javier Alonso’s midfield, featuring in 32 of a possible 37 fixtures and playing a pivotal role in a historic campaign for the U18s.
Chuks Okoli wins Under-18s Player of the Season award
Crystal Palace Under-18s midfielder Chuks Okoli has won the 2025/26 U18 Player of the Season award.
Okoli found the back of the net five times, including a 92nd-minute winner against Aston Villa to send Palace into their first FA Youth Cup semi-final in nearly 30 years, as well as a superb long-range strike against West Bromwich Albion in the league.
He also notched an impressive nine assists across all competitions, the highest tally in the U18s squad.
A natural leader, Okoli stepped up to captain the side on a number of big occasions, including the Youth Cup semi-final at Old Trafford and the club’s first-ever U18 Premier League Cup triumph in front of 4,000 supporters at Selhurst Park – both against Manchester United.
His performances also earned recognition at U21s level, as he was named in Darren Powell’s matchday squad for the Premier League 2 quarter-final against United.
Okoli has been with the club since the age of seven, progressing through the Academy ranks and continuing to develop both on and off the pitch.
U18s manager Javier Alonso said: “Chuks has been a model of consistency and reliability in midfield all season. He has formed the foundation of the team and set the standard every day – he leads by example on and off the pitch and has been the heartbeat of the side. I am very happy for him.”
Upon receiving the prize, Okoli said: “I’m really grateful to receive this award. I’d like to thank my family, thank God, and thank the club for believing in me and nominating me. Hopefully, I can continue to achieve bigger and better things for this club.”