The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) is proud to announce Rhode Island Reds midfielder Isaac “Nana” Addai as the winner of the 2016 Mitre Golden Ball. Addai finished with 18 goals in the regular season. He already was named co-winner of the 2016 PUMA Golden Boot last week.
“I’m very grateful to receive this award; it’s a pleasure,” Addai commented. “It’s extra special because the teams vote for you. It’s because they’ve seen what I am capable off and on the field and what I have done this year so I’m happy. All the credit goes to my teammates, my manager, and the staff. Without them, I wouldn’t have received this award and I wouldn’t have this fantastic season. It’s the team spirit and I want to dedicate it to my team.”
Addai, who just completed his first NPSL season, also has incredible experience playing overseas. He was a key player for the Liberia U-23 Men’s National Team in addition to playing professionally in both Liberia and Ghana. He was the Team MVP for the Reds in 2016 in addition to being a two-time Player of the Year in the Guatemala Soccer League, a local league in Rhode Island.
His journey is a particularly tremendous one considering that he was first discovered playing in a refugee camp during a civil war in Liberia.
“We are grateful that the players and teams around the league see in Isaac what we show from the first day at tryouts,” Rhode Island Reds Owner Kabba Joof added. “Isaac is a fantastic footballer with a great personality. He is a winner and makes people around him better at all levels.”
The Mitre Golden Ball, voted on by the teams themselves, is awarded to the league’s top player, regardless of position. Private voting took place from July 24th – July 27th.
ABOUT THE NPSL
The NPSL is a national league that operates in the 4th Division of the U.S. Soccer pyramid. NPSL teams are eligible to participate in the U.S. Open Cup through their affiliation with the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) and the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA). The NPSL remains one of the largest national leagues in North America.
