LAUTOKA footballer Sterling Vasconcellos has been named the Footballer of the Year (Fiji).
The ‘Blues’ defender’s immense value as a consistent performer raised the team’s defensive profile.
Vasconcellos helped the district with a double title haul in 2024.
The Sportone award is given out annually to the athlete whose performance in the year most embodies the spirit of sportsmanship, performance and achievement.
Vasconcellos and the company won the Fiji FACT after beating Navua 1-0 in June and in August the team won the Battle of the Giants with 2-1 win against Nadi.
The Lautoka star was awarded the 2024 Digicel Fiji FACT Best Player of the tournament and the 2024 Digicel Fiji FACT Golden Boot.
The 19-year old Fijian international has earned a regular spot in the team and plays with a lot of maturity and understanding of the game.
Vasconcellos has the mental toughness, hunger and extraordinary reservoirs of personal growth.
The teenager has earned 10 caps for the country.
He’s blessed with physical maturity beyond his years and, above all, by supernatural on-pitch vision and match intelligence and makes even his seniors look ordinary with his game.
Vasconcellos brings much exquisite joy and admiration to those who love the sport of football.
Rewa’s Setareki Huges and Navua’s Thomas Dunn were the other footballers who were shortlisted but missed out on the award.
The winner for the accolade was chosen by a panel of experts, including coaches, former players, administrators and journalists.
