Melbourne Victory star Juan Mata has been shortlisted for the PFA Men’s Footballer of the Year award for 2026.
The World Cup winner enjoyed a stellar 2025/26 campaign in the A-Leagues with Melbourne Victory, with the Spaniard’s performances seeing him awarded the Johnny Warren Medal by a A-Leagues record margin.
Joining Mata on the six-man shortlist for the award are recent A-Leagues graduates Nestory Irankunda, who recently joined Portuguese giants Sporting CP for a fee of close to $26million, as well as fellow Socceroos Jordan Bos and Mohamed Toure.
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Meanwhile Socceroos legend and A-Leagues graduate Mathew Ryan (Levante UD) and Socceroos defender and Perth Glory academy product Alessandro Circati (Benfica) are also on the list.
The nominees for PFA Young Footballer of the Year are also dominated by former A-Leagues stars, with new Hull City and Socceros defender Lucas Herrington on the list having played at a World Cup and subsequently moved from the A-Leagues to Major League Soccer and now the Premier League within the space of a year.
Meanwhile new FC Koln and Socceroos midfielder Paul Okon-Engstler is also in the running having shone at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with his performances enough to earn him a lucrative move from Sydney FC to German Bundesliga side FC Koln earlier this off-season.
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Another player nominated was also someone who shone at the FIFA World Cup, with goalkeeper Patrick Beach earning a move from Melbourne City to French side Estac Troyes following his excellent displays in North America.
Irankunda, Bos and Circati are the other three names in the running, with all three nominated for both the Footballer of the Year and Young Footballer of the Year awards.
All nominees were selected based on performances between July 2025 and June 2026 in both club and international competitions, with the 2026 FIFA World Cup including in said voting period.
The nominees were selected by an expert panel of former players and media representatives with the overall winners to be announced following a PFA Member vote.
PFA Men’s Footballer of the Year
Previous Winners: Aziz Behich (2025), Jackson Irvine (2024), Craig Goodwin (2023), Tom Rogic (2022), Jamie Maclaren (2021), Mat Ryan (2020, 2019, 2015), Aaron Mooy (2018–2016), Mile Jedinak (2014), Robbie Kruse (2013), Brett Holman (2012), Matt McKay (2011), Mark Schwarzer (2010), Tim Cahill (2009)
PFA Young Men’s Footballer of the Year (Harry Kewell Medal)
Previous Winners: Nicolas Milanovic (2025), Alex Paulsen (2024), Jordan Bos (2023), Denis Genreau (2022), Connor Metcalfe (2021), Liberato Cacace (2020), Chris Ikonomidis (2019), Daniel Arzani (2018), Alex Gersbach (2017), Jamie Maclaren (2016), Mat Ryan (2015, 2014, 2012), Marco Rojas (2013), Robbie Kruse (2011), Mitch Langerak (2010), Nikita Rukavytsya (2009)
