Former Sydney FC star Cortnee Vine is in the running to win the 2023 AFC Women’s Player of the Year award.
Vine is one of three players nominated for the top AFC honour, alongside Japan’s Kiko Seike and Kim Hye-ri of South Korea, after her success in the Ninja A-League and with the CommBank Matildas.
The Australian star, who has since earned a move to North Carolina Courage in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), played a key role in Sydney winning back-to-back Championships.
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After helping the Matildas become the first senior Australian team to make the semi-finals of a FIFA World Cup in 2023 – scoring a penalty in the marathon shoot-out against France last year, Vine scored 10 goals and supplied six assists as Sydney clinched a record fifth Ninja A-League Championship in 2023-24.
A-Leagues legend Sam Kerr won the 2022 AFC Women’s Player of the Year, having also claimed it in 2017. Fellow Australians Caitlin Foord (2016), Katrina Gorry (2014) and Kate Gill (2010) also got their hands on the honour.
Meanwhile, ex-Melbourne City sensation Daniela Galic has been nominated for the AFC Women’s Youth Player of the Year.
Now playing for Dutch outfit FC Twente, Galic has been recognised following her standout performances for City in Australia.
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The 18-year-old talent was integral to the club’s Premiership win and run to last season’s Grand Final.
Galic’s exploits saw her crowned the Liberty A-League’s Boost Young Footballer of the Year, while she also took out City’s Rising Star Award.
The teenager’s breakout season saw her called up by the Matildas for the first time as a train-on player in February.
In 2023-24, Galic scored a career-high seven goals for City and supplied six assists.
Elsewhere, A-Leagues product and Lyon star Ellie Carpenter is nominated for the AFC Women’s Asian International Player of the Year.
Former Subway Socceroos head coach Graham Arnold – a two-time Isuzu UTE A-League champion – is in the running for the AFC Men’s Coach of the Year, while CommBank Young Matildas boss Leah Blayney has been dominated for the AFC Women’s Coach of the Year.
