📰 Auckland FC name most valuable player after dominating season

By Bonnie Jansen

Uruguayan forward Guillermo May scored top bins at Auckland FC’s inaugural awards night on Wednesday.

The striker was named the club’s most valuable player for the 2024-25 A-League season after having 11 goal contributions across their first campaign.

The 27-year-old import led from the front as the Black Knights made history, becoming the first New Zealand-based team to lift the league’s Premiers Plate.

May also took home the Golden Boot prize for netting nine goals.

Francis De Vries won the members’ vote for player of the year after his breakout A-League campaign. His defensive prowess and deadly left foot, which earned him a spot back in the men’s national team, provided seven assists and two goals.

Goalkeeper Alex Paulsen, who has played every minute so far on loan from English Premier League side AFC Bournemouth, was named the player’s player of the season.

The former Wellington Phoenix star had another rock-solid campaign between the sticks, keeping 12 clean sheets.

On the night, Logan Rogerson was honoured for scoring the club’s first-ever hat-trick in the Black Knights’ 6-1 victory over the Wellington Phoenix in the third domestic derby.

That hat-trick was initially awarded to fellow forward Neyder Moreno before league officials overturned the on-field referee’s decision after Rogerson was seen deflecting the shot into the net.

At the Phoenix’s awards night on Tuesday, women’s captain Annalie Longo and men’s forward Kosta Barbarouses scooped the major accolades.

The pair won the members’ players of the year, media players of the year, players’ players of the year and the sponsor’s players of the year honours.

Longo, the long-serving Football Fern who retired from the professional game after the women’s final match, also collected the Lloyd Morrison Spirit of the Phoenix award for her leadership of the women’s team.

Both Phoenix sides missed qualification for their respective A-League playoffs, while minor premiers Auckland FC find out their semifinal opponents after the elimination finals on Saturday.

Auckland FC’s upcoming fixtures
Away Semif-Fnal

May 17: Auckland FC v (lowest-ranked elimination final winner), Australia

Home Semif-Fnal

May 24: Auckland FC v (lowest-ranked elimination final winner), Go Media Stadium, 6pm

Grand Final

June 1: TBD v TBD

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission.