Top 5 performers in ISL 2022-23 who couldn't make it to the knockout stages

The league stage of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23 season came to a close on Sunday, February 26, with Mumbai City FC finishing as the League Shield winners. The string of 110 matches was enveloped in absolute drama right from start to finish.

With the knockout spots expanding from four to six, the table was shaping up till the final matchweek. Players eclipsed each other's performances to guide their team to glory. Yet, some came agonizingly close and faltered. For the neutrals, the individual performances on the pitch were an exceptional watch.

Cleiton Silva often made headlines with his talismanic performances for East Bengal. Meanwhile, Noah Sadaoui was an exhilarating watch in an otherwise underwhelming season for FC Goa.

On that note, let's take a look at the five top performers in the ISL 2022-23 league stages who couldn't make it to the playoffs:

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#5 Anwar Ali - FC Goa

FC Goa were the closest to making it through to the playoffs, yet their journey came to a sudden halt. They had quite a tumultuous season, but Anwar Ali brought a lot of consistency to the center of their defense.

The counter-back made 36 tackles, 25 interceptions, 80 clearances, and 34 blocks throughout his 20 appearances. Even going forward, Anwar had two assists and a solitary goal to his name.

His match-winning performance against ATK Mohun Bagan in the first half of the season was one for the highlight reels.

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#4 Ritwik Kumar Das - Jamshedpur FC

Both Jamshedpur FC and Ritwik Kumar Das had an underwhelming start to the ISL season. But as the season progressed, things looked up for one party more than the other. The blistering Indian winger seemingly found his form and feet, scoring six goals in the last eight matches.

The 26-year-old made crucial contributions at the fag end of the season, but Jamshedpur will be hoping for the winger to now take his game to the next level.

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#3 Abdenasser El Khayati - Chennaiyin FC

The ISL 2022-23 season was a tragic tale for Chennaiyin FC and Abdenasser El Khayati. Their chapter ebbed and flowed like none.

In the Dutchman's presence, the Marina Machans were largely ruthless in attack, dismantling opposition defenses. The 34-year-old midfielder scored nine goals and assisted five times during his time on the pitch.

Tragically, El Khayati spent a lot of time on the sidelines, nursing an injury. He could only appear in 12 out of his 20 matches. But his immaculate footballing qualities were still on display during the short ISL stint.

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#2 Noah Sadaoui - FC Goa

The Moroccan winger's season encompassed every emotion in a span of 20 matches. Noah Sadaoui was sometimes a frustrating watch, exhilarating at others, but most importantly, integral to FC Goa's campaign. The 29-year-old bagged nine goals and as many assists over the season.

But more astonishingly, every time Noah got on the ball, it seemed like he could double those numbers in a jiffy. His decision-making in the final third let him down on occasion.

Irrespective of the slight lows, Noah was an absolute revelation throughout ISL 2022-23 season.

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#1 Cleiton Silva - East Bengal

Undoubtedly, Cleiton Silva was the performer of ISL 2022-23 for East Bengal as his solo heroics carried the club through multiple fixtures. The Brazilian talisman scored 12 goals in 20 matches this season, having a 54.5 percent share in the team's goalscoring tally.

Cleiton made goal-bound contributions in all six EBFC wins. He tormented opposition defenders with his intelligent movement and was prolific whenever an opportunity arrived.

While he was short on support from his teammates on most occasions, the Minas Gerais-born often took matters into his own hands; case in point - the match-winning freekick against Bengaluru FC in the return leg.

East Bengal fans will be eager to see the 36-year-old continue with the club in the seasons ahead.