Midfielder Ulises Davila's golden touch has helped spark the Wellington Phoenix's emergence as A-League playoff contenders.
The Mexican import has been key to their nine-game unbeaten run, but come March, they'll need someone to take his place.
Wellington's streak has been driven by nine goals from Davila, but he won't take credit for being the catalyst.
"Happy to help the team to get the points," Davila told Newshub. "It is the work of all the team."
The 28-year-old is being compared with the club's record goalscorer, Roy Krishna, who won the competition's Golden Boot last season.
The Phoenix couldn't hold on to Krishna, so is coach Ufuk Talay already trying to keep Davila past his two-season deal?
"He's got another year on his contract, so we will sit down and talk after that," Talay said.
Teammates call the former Chelsea player 'The Mexican Magician' and credit his diligent training.
"First and foremost, he is a good person, and he has ambition and drive," says Talay. "That's why we brought him in here, like all the other players.
"Technically, he is a very smart player. He is a creative player, he scores goals and he also sets up goals.
"He keeps fighting to the last minute."
But he won't fight every minute of the road to the playoffs - Davila's wife is expecting their first child in March. They'll return to Mexico for the birth and come back to New Zealand for a crack at the A-League title.
"From the beginning, I said the goal is to be in the top six and try to fight to be champion," Davila added. "That's the goal and the most important for us."
In a season of life-changing moves for Davila, he's become a game-changer himself for the Phoenix this season.
