Subway Socceroos star Jackson Irvine has been voted the Austraffic PFA Men’s Footballer of the Year, becoming the 11th player to pick up the award.
The Australia midfielder and St.Pauli captain helped his Hamburg-based club achieve promotion from 2. Bundesliga to the German top flight last season, scoring six goals and tallying nine assists in an historic year for ‘Die Kiezkicker’.
Earlier this year, Irvine also captained the Socceroos at the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, where he scored goals against India and Syria, and featured in our all-important Round Two 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers for the national team.
"It was a little bit of a surprise,” Irvine said upon receiving the award.
“We had so many players that had such incredible seasons last year, who achieved amazing things, promotions and trophies and some amazing individual seasons as well.
"Anything voted for by your peers is particularly special and it's a huge reward for what has been an amazing year for myself.
"The things we achieved as a club were special, but also, I think my performances for the national team through the Asian Cup and the last 12 months have been some of the best football of my career.
"I'm very proud of the progress I've made in my own career, as well as the help that has been given to me by my teammates and coaches I've worked with, and it has led to me being able to achieve something like this."
Irvine was presented with the award at a recent Socceroos camp by former Australia international Aaron Mooy, who also won the award in three consecutive years from 2016 – 2018.