Ten Canadian Premier League Standouts Shortlisted for Players’ Player of the Year
October 24, 2022 – Canadian Premier League (CPL) News Release
Toronto, ON – The Canadian Premier League announced on Monday the nominees for its inaugural Players’ Player of the Year award, the first award in league history voted on by the players.
The Players’ Player of the Year award will honour the best player over the 2022 regular season, as adjudged by his peers. Each player was asked to provide a three-man shortlist to determine the winner. Players were not able to vote for themselves or include a teammate on their ballot.
The inclusion of this new honour as part of the CPL’s annual end of year awards was announced in Sept. 2022.
Ten players from six CPL clubs were named to the 10-man shortlist for Players’ Player of the Year on Monday:
Alexander Achinioti-Jönsson (Forge FC)
Manny Aparicio (Pacific FC)
Mo Babouli (York United FC)
Ollie Bassett (Atlético Ottawa)
Kyle Bekker (Forge FC)
Alejandro Diaz (Pacific FC)
Ali Musse (Cavalry FC)
Woobens Pacius (Forge FC)
Sean Rea (Valour FC)
Ballou Tabla (Atlético Ottawa)
Voting for all the CPL’s annual awards will this year be based on performances during the regular season, not including Canadian Championship, Concacaf or playoff action.
The winner of the Players’ Player of the Year award will be announced alongside the league’s other end of year award winners at an in-person CPL awards ceremony on Friday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. ET in Ottawa, Ont. The ceremony will take place ahead of the league final between host Atlético Ottawa and visitors Forge FC on Sunday, Oct. 30 at 6 p.m. ET at TD Place. The awards ceremony will be broadcast in full by OneSoccer.
The winner of the Players’ Player of the Year award will receive a unique piece of Inuit soapstone art, carved by artist Ruben Komangapik. The Muskox statue was chosen to honour the Players’ Player of the Year award winner because the animal earns the respect of his heard through his leadership and organization and gains recognition from his peers for his commanding presence in the heat of battle.
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