Midfielder shatters multiple assist records in historic 2026 season
CHARLOTTE, NC (October 26, 2026) – USL League One officially announced Monday that Charlotte Independence midfielder Jon Bakero has been named the winner of the league’s 2026 Golden Playmaker Award, presented to the league leader in assists.
Bakero became the first player in Charlotte Independence history to earn the honor following a record-breaking campaign in which he registered 18 assists in league play. The Spanish midfielder comfortably led the league in assists while also surpassing Spokane Velocity’s Nil Vinyals to become the USL League One all-time assists leader. In just two seasons with the Jacks, Bakero has already climbed to second on the club’s all-time assists list across all competitions.
In an MVP-caliber campaign that helped lead Charlotte to its first trophy in club history, Bakero rewrote the league record books on multiple occasions. On August 28 against AV Alta, the midfielder set a new USL League One single-match goal contributions record, scoring twice and providing three assists to play a direct role in all five of Charlotte’s goals.
Bakero made history again on September 12 against Westchester SC, recording his 12th assist of the campaign to break the USL League One single-season assists record previously shared by Arthur Rogers and Jonathan Bolanos. The milestone came from a trademark Bakero corner kick, finding Joey Skinner for the finish.
After trading places with Vinyals atop the league’s all-time assists chart late in the season, Bakero claimed sole possession of the record in Charlotte’s Players’ Shield-clinching victory over Greenville Triumph on October 17. His assist on Souaibou Marou’s third goal of the night cemented his place in league history and capped another milestone moment in a historic season for the Independence.
Bakero and the Jacks begin the postseason on Sunday night as they host FC Naples in the USL Quarterfinals. Tickets are available here.
ABOUT CHARLOTTE INDEPENDENCE:
The Charlotte Independence is a Division III professional men’s soccer team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The club, founded in 2014, currently competes in USL League One and plays home games at American Legion Memorial Stadium and Mecklenburg County Sportsplex of Matthews. As part of the Queen City Soccer Club, our mission is to make Charlotte a better place to live through sports. For information on club news, season tickets and more, visit CharlotteIndependence.com.
