Juan Mata, 38, named A-League’s best player: ‘Again I fell in love with football’

• Melbourne Victory playmaker wins Johnny Warren medal

• Veteran still to make call on future with playing career up in air

Juan Mata had been written off, another caught in the mire of Australian football despite being a World Cup winner. Ever-smiling, now the 38-year-old also has the last laugh, having won the A-League Men’s Johnny Warren medal, the award for the competition’s player of the year.

After receiving the accolade, the out-of-contract Melbourne Victory playmaker said he wondered at the start of the season whether he would even go around again.