Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes and Manchester City forward Khadija Shaw have secured the Professional Footballers' Association men's and women's player of the year honours for the 2025-26 season. Both players were previously recognised by the Football Writers' Association with identical accolades for the same campaign.
Fernandes achieved a historic milestone by setting a new Premier League record with 21 assists in a single season, surpassing the previous benchmark of 20 held by Kevin de Bruyne and Thierry Henry. His accomplishment marks the first time a Manchester United player has won the PFA award since Wayne Rooney claimed it in 2010. Shaw, meanwhile, secured her second title in three seasons after an exceptional campaign that saw her finish as the WSL's leading scorer for the third consecutive year with 21 goals as Manchester City won the league championship.
What made Fernandes' season exceptional?
Despite Manchester United finishing without a major trophy, Fernandes delivered an outstanding individual campaign that defined the club's season. Across all competitions, the 31-year-old Portuguese international contributed nine goals and 22 assists across 37 matches. In Premier League fixtures alone, he appeared in 35 games, scoring nine times and creating 21 chances for teammates. On the final day against Brighton, he both set up United's opening goal and scored their third, helping the side secure third place and Champions League qualification.
Fernandes faced competition from a strong field of candidates including Arsenal's Gabriel Magalhaes, David Raya and Declan Rice, alongside Manchester City attackers Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland. His victory makes him only the second Portuguese player to receive the honour, following Cristiano Ronaldo's back-to-back wins in 2007 and 2008 during his time at Manchester United. Cherki finished as the second-most prolific creator in the league with 12 assists.
How dominant was Shaw's goal-scoring record?
Shaw's 21 goals in 22 league appearances established her as the WSL's most clinical finisher, a position she has now held for three consecutive seasons. Her remarkable consistency saw her become the first player ever to score 20 or more goals in three different WSL campaigns. During Manchester City's title-winning season, she delivered multiple match-winning performances, including a four-goal haul against Aston Villa and a hat-trick against Tottenham. On the final day, she scored twice against West Ham to cement her status as the division's premier goal scorer.
Beyond league football, the Jamaica international added five more goals in cup competitions, including the opening strike in Manchester City's FA Cup final victory. Shaw's second PFA award in three seasons places her among an elite group of multiple winners. She is now the first player to claim three WSL golden boots, moving ahead of previous two-time recipients Vivienne Miedema and Sam Kerr. Only Lucy Bronze and Fran Kirby have previously won the PFA women's player of the year award on multiple occasions, making Shaw the third player to achieve this distinction. She previously completed the PFA and Football Writers' Association double following the 2023-24 season.
Who won the young player awards?
Manchester City defender Nico O'Reilly claimed the men's young player of the year award, succeeding Morgan Rogers in the honour. The versatile 21-year-old has established himself as a regular starter for the champions, making 34 league appearances and contributing eight goal involvements, including five goals and nine clean sheets. His performances earned him the player of the match award when Manchester City defeated Arsenal in the League Cup final.
Arsenal's Olivia Smith retained the women's young player of the year title, becoming only the second player after England international Lauren Hemp to win the award in consecutive years. The Canada international, aged 22, has made an immediate impact since joining the Gunners for £1 million from Liverpool last summer, scoring 10 goals across all competitions during her debut season in north London.
How were the team of the year selections distributed?
The Premier League team of the year, as voted by professional players, reflected the dominance of champions Arsenal and runners-up Manchester City. Arsenal's defensive strength, having conceded just 27 goals throughout the season, was recognised through the inclusion of goalkeeper David Raya and defenders Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba and Jurrien Timber, alongside midfielder Declan Rice. Manchester City secured four positions in the XI with Nico O'Reilly, Rayan Cherki, Erling Haaland and Antoine Semenyo, while Bruno Fernandes represented Manchester United and Brentford's Igor Thiago completed the selection as a team of the year debutant.
The WSL team of the year featured three representatives each from champions Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal. Manchester City's contingent included Kerstin Casparij, Yui Hasegawa and Khadija Shaw, while Chelsea selected Hannah Hampton, Ellie Carpenter and Lauren James. Arsenal's three selections were Toko Koga, Mariona Caldentey and Alessia Russo. Manchester United's Jess Park and Tottenham's Toko Koga were the only players selected from outside the top three sides, highlighting the concentration of elite talent among the division's leading clubs.
Key Facts
- Bruno Fernandes set a new Premier League record with 21 assists in the 2025-26 season, breaking the previous mark of 20 held by Kevin de Bruyne and Thierry Henry
- Khadija Shaw scored 20 or more goals in the WSL for the third consecutive season and is the first player to win three WSL golden boots
- Fernandes is the first Manchester United player to win the PFA player of the year award since Wayne Rooney in 2010
- Nico O'Reilly and Olivia Smith won the men's and women's young player of the year awards respectively
- Arsenal and Manchester City dominated the team of the year selections, with five and four representatives respectively in the Premier League XI
