Claudio Braga Wins Pfa Scotland Player Of The Year After 14 Goals
Claudio Braga won the pfa scotland player of the year award after topping the voting at the awards night, capping a season in which he scored 14 league goals for Hearts. The 26-year-old striker’s finish also helped Hearts lead the league.
Braga’s total rose to 17 goals in all competitions since he arrived from Aalesund, and his form pushed him past a shortlist that included team-mate Lawrence Shankland and Motherwell pair Tawanda Maswanhise and Elijah Just. For Hearts, the award added to a strong night across several categories.
Hearts And McInnes
Hearts also landed a double in the manager category with Derek McInnes and Eva Olid. That gave the club a wider share of the night’s recognition than Braga’s headline prize alone, with the Premiership award sitting alongside the managerial honours.
The award race had already been narrowed to four names, but Braga separated himself with the scoring output that drove Hearts’ season. His 14 league goals placed him at the center of the club’s push at the top, while Shankland’s presence on the shortlist showed how strong Hearts’ attacking season was across the squad.
Kozlova And The Women’s Awards
Glasgow City’s Nicole Kozlova won the SWPL player of the year award after recording nine goals and five assists before suffering a serious knee injury two months ago. Her season had already put her in position for the prize before the injury stopped her momentum.
Rangers also collected two young player awards on the night. Mikey Moore won the SPFL young player award while on loan from Tottenham, and May Cruft took the SWPL young player award at 16 years old.
Lower Divisional Winners
The lower divisional award went to three players: St Johnstone winger Josh McPake, Hamilton Academical striker Oli Shaw and East Kilbride forward John Robertson. Their names filled out a night that spread the honours across the Premiership, the women’s game and the lower leagues.
Braga leaves the awards night with the clearest individual marker of the evening. He arrived with 17 goals in all competitions, and he left with the top Premiership player prize after a season that put Hearts on the front foot.
