By Canadian Press

Former winners Kyle Bekker, Tristan Borges among finalists for CPL top player award

Nov 4, 2024 | 9:46 AM

Previous winners Kyle Bekker and Tristan Borges are among the five finalists for the Canadian Premier League’s Player of the Year award.

Bekker, who won in 2020 and was also a finalist in 2019 and ’23, and Borges, the 2019 winner, are joined by Forge FC teammate Alessandro Hojabrpour and Cavalry FC’s Tobias Warschewski and York United FC’s Brian Wright as this year’s finalists.

The winner, to be decided in a vote by the eight CPL clubs’ technical leadership and select media, will be announced Thursday in Calgary as part of the festivities surrounding Saturday’s championship game between Forge and Cavalry FC.

Cavalry defender Daan Klomp won the award last year. Other previous winners were Atletico Ottawa’s Ollie Bassett (2022) and Halifax’s Joao Morelli (2021).

At 34, Bekker excelled in his sixth season with Forge. The veteran midfielder tied for second in the league in assists with six and ranked sixth in total chances created with 36 in helping the Hamilton side finish atop the regular-season standings.

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The 26-year-old Borges led all CPL players with 0.74 goal contributions per 90 minutes in 2024 and, like Bekker, recorded six assists. He also created the third-most chances among players in the league with 41.

Hojabrpour, 24, has been a rock as Forge’s defensive midfielder. He tied teammate Alexander Achinioti-Jönsson for first in the league with a plus-14 on-field goal difference and led the CPL with 252 progressive passes. He finished second in the league in successful passes in the opposition half, second among CPL midfielders in percentage of duels won and third in most ball recoveries.

Warschewski, 26, won the Golden Boot Award as the league’s top scorer in his return to the CPL. The former FC Edmonton forward scored 12 goals, finishing tied for first with 0.57 goals per 90 minutes. The six-foot-two German was fourth in the league in aerial duels won with 57, the most by a non-defender in 2024.

Wright, 29, led York with nine goals, fourth-best in the league, and added six assists. His 15 goal contributions were the most by a CPL player in 2024 and his 45 aerial duels won were third-most by a non-defender.

All five players are also among the 10 finalists for the Players’ Player of the Year Award, which is decided by the league’s players.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 4

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press