Juan Mata received unanimous praise and affection from everyone at Melbourne Victory during the club’s 2025–26 End-of-Season Awards night. The Spaniard swept the top honours, claiming the club’s Player of the Season (‘Victory Medal’), as voted by the coaching staff and football department, as well as the ‘Players’ Player’ award, decided by his teammates. He also collected the Goal of the Season, as chosen by the fans.
It was a special evening at the Palladium Ballroom at Crown, a venue that regularly hosts some of Australia’s most prestigious events. Mata was given a rousing ovation as he stepped up to receive his awards from teammates and club representatives alike. His impact on the pitch proved decisive, with 13 assists and five goals to his name—making him the player with the highest number of attacking contributions in the Australian A-League this season.
The Golden Boot, awarded to the club’s top scorer, went to Nikolaos Vergos after netting seven goals throughout the campaign. In the women’s category, Rachel Lowe claimed the Victory Medal, while captain Kayla Morrison received the Players’ Player award. Goal of the Season was awarded to Ella O’Grady.
The full list of award winners is available on the official Melbourne Victory website.
