All Whites defender Tyler Bindon has been named the Sky Sport Emerging Talent winner at the 62nd ISPS Handa Halberg Awards, held tonight (Tuesday, 18 February 2025 NZT) at Spark Arena in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland.

This win recognises Bindon’s rapid rise in the professional game, which last month saw the 20-year-old secure a high-profile transfer from Reading FC to Premier League side Nottingham Forest.

As of November 2024, Bindon had played more minutes as a professional footballer than any other teenager in the world, and on 2 November, at just 19 years old, he captained Reading FC for the first time in the historic FA Cup.

Speaking on the win, All Whites head coach Darren Bazeley said:

“Huge congratulations to Tyler on his very well-deserved win, continuing what has been a big few months for him.

“He has had a breakthrough season, performing at a level well ahead of other players his age, and this has been rewarded both tonight and with a move to the top league in the world at just 20 years old.

“He is already an important player for us and could be for a long time to come.”

Bindon was nominated alongside World Athletics U20s triple jump gold medallist Ethan Oliver, mountain biker Erice Van Leuven, Cormac Buchanan for his exceptional performance in the FIM Junior GP World Championships in Moto3, world junior motocross champion Levi Townley, and Youth Winter Olympic Games medallist Luke Harrold.

All Whites captain Chris Wood was also nominated for the Sportsman of the Year award, which went to Olympic gold medallist Hamish Kerr.

Article added: Tuesday 18 February 2025