Former Wellington Phoenix player, Liberato Cacace, has won the Harry Kewell Medal tonight as part of the 2020 Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) Players’ Awards.
Cacace was nominated alongside Wellington’s Cameron Devlin and Adelaide United’s Riley McGree for this award, which recognises the outstanding achievement of an under-23 footballer in the A-League.
The 2020 PFA Players’ Awards were voted on by the PFA membership and considered the performances of PFA members during the 2019/20 season.
Cacace was acknowledged by his peers following an impressive campaign with the Wellington Phoenix; in 25 appearances for the Phoenix he scored three goals and an assist, which helped earn him a position in the PFA’s A-League Team of the Season.
Cacace says it is an honour to receive this award.
“I remember watching Harry Kewell and to be presented this award is phenomenal and I’m truly blessed.
“To be recognised by my peers, the fellow players in the competition, is a great privilege.”
Wellington Phoenix General Manager, David Dome, says that the award is further proof of the success of the Phoenix’s youth development system, which has been many years in the making.
“Congratulations to Liberato on this well-deserved award; he is a shining example of young kiwi players being able to succeed if the right pathways and opportunities are put in place for them.
“We firmly believe in the Phoenix Academy model and how it supports young players like Liberato to not only grow their skill-set and abilities, but to strongly position them for future football success – in whatever form it may take.”
