It was a night for the midfielders as Juan Mata and Rachel Lowe were named the 2026 Victory medallists during the annual black-tie event at the Palladium at Crown.
Melbourne Victory’s Spanish superstar received a thunderous reception before receiving the Victory Medal (ALM), presented by Turkish Airlines, being recognised for an exceptional 2025/26.
Mata’s efforts for Athur Diles’ side were also acclaimed by his peers, as he took home the AGL Players’ Player (ALM) prize following significant contributions to the team’s Isuzu UTE A-League season successes.
In numbers, this totalled 13 assists and five goals, with one of these, his long-range stunner to open the scoring in February’s Melbourne Derby win, earning him Sidelink Transport Goal of the Season (ALM).
Lowe, to a special ovation, celebrated her third campaign at the Club by winning the Victory Medal (ALW), presented by Turkish Airlines. The 25-year-old’s season, where she started all but one match, was highlighted by strikes in both the Original Rivalry and Big Blue.
Teammate and Captain, Kayla Morrison, who became the first Victory player to reach a century of A-League Women’s matches in February’s Melbourne Derby, was named AGL Players’ Player (ALW).
Victorian attacker Ella O’Grady, for her improbable equaliser when Jeff Hopkins’ team drew 3-3 at Central Coast Mariners, claimed the Sidelink Transport Goal of the Season (ALW).
Strikers Nikolaos Vergos and Kennedy White were presented with the Skechers Golden Boot awards.
The Richard Smith Youth Scholarship Awards were won by Joshua Inserra and Sienna Techera.
2026 Victory Medal winners:
- Victory Medal (ALW), presented by Turkish Airlines – Rachel Lowe
- Victory Medal (ALM), presented by Turkish Airlines – Juan Mata
- Member of the Year Award – Nick McLennen
- Skechers Golden Boot (ALW) – Kennedy White
- Skechers Golden Boot (ALM) – Nikolaos Vergos
- AGL Players’ Player (ALW) – Kayla Morrison
- AGL Players’ Player (ALM) – Juan Mata
- Richard Smith Youth Scholarship Awards – Joshua Inserra and Sienna Techera
- Sidelink Transport Goal of the Season (ALW) – Ella O’Grady v Central Coast Mariners
- Sidelink Transport Goal of the Season (ALM) – Juan Mata v Melbourne City
Victory Medal Honour Roll – A-League Men’s
2006 – Kevin Muscat
2007 – Kevin Muscat & Danny Allsopp
2008 – Rodrigo Vargas & Archie Thompson
2009 – Kevin Muscat & Danny Allsopp
2010 – Archie Thompson
2011 – Grant Brebner
2012 – Ante Covic
2013 – Mark Milligan
2014 – Adama Traoré
2015 – Fahid Ben Khalfalah
2016 – Matthieu Delpierre
2017 – Carl Valeri
2018 – Leroy George
2019 – Leigh Broxham
2020 – Leigh Broxham
2021 – Robbie Kruse
2022 – Jake Brimmer
2023 – Damien Da Silva
2024 – Damien Da Silva
2025 – Jordi Valadon
2026 – Juan Mata
Victory Medal Honour Roll – A-League Women’s
2009 – Brittany Timko
2010 – Julianne Sitch
2011 – Kendall Fletcher
2012 – Kendall Fletcher
2013 – Petra Larsson
2014 – Jess Fishlock
2015 – Amy Jackson
2016 – Annabel Martin
2017 – Natasha Dowie
2018 – Christina Gibbons
2019 – Christine Nairn
2020 – Hayley Hanson
2021 – Kayla Morrison
2022 – Alex Chidiac
2023 – Beattie Goad
2024 – Kayla Morrison
2025 – Kayla Morrison
2026 – Rachel Lowe
