Kruse becomes youngest winner of Australia Footballer of the Year award to complete double Robbie Kruse, winner of the PFA Player of the Year at the Australian Football Awards, is inspired to keep working hard and improving as a footballer. Robbie Kruse has become the youngest winner of the Australia Footballer of the Year award. SOCCEROOS striker Robbie Kruse has created a piece of local football history after winning the Professional Footballers' Australia Footballer of the Year award. Kruse enjoyed a strong 2012-13 campaign with German club Fortuna Dusseldorf before being transferred to their Bundesliga rival, Bayer Leverkusen. The 25-year-old also became an increasingly significant member of the Socceroos side that qualified for next year's World Cup finals. "It's been a wonderful ride and something I'm really enjoying and hopefully I can keep pushing myself and continue to improve," Kruse told AAP at Wednesday's award ceremony in Sydney. He won the award ahead of England-based Socceroo midfielder Mile Jedinak and Central Coast striker, Daniel McBreen, last season's leading A-League scorer. Kruse became the youngest ever winner of the award and the first man to win both it and the Harry Kewell Medal, the award for best under-23 player, which he took out two years ago. It's a good progression in my career. It obviously shows the A-League is a wonderful stepping stone as well,"' Kruse said. I won the Harry Kewell the year after I moved from the A-League and then two years later I've won this award. It's very humbling to win the award and it's voted by your fellow players so it makes it even more special. Another Germany-based player, Marco Rojas, won the Harry Kewell Medal. New Zealander Rojas won last season's A-League MVP award while playing with Melbourne Victory. Matildas star Samantha Kerr won the PFA Women's Footballer of the Year. Attacker Kerr was a key member of Sydney's W-League winning team and also performed well for Australia. She won the award from Brianna Davey and Stephanie Catley, who finished joint second.