Fernandes and Shaw Recognised
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes and Manchester City forward Khadija Shaw have been named the Professional Footballers’ Associations men’s and women’s player of the year, respectively. Both players had previously received the Football Writers’ Association men’s and women’s footballer of the year awards for the 2025-26 season. The awards ceremony took place in Manchester, celebrating individual achievements in the sport.
Fernandes’s win marks the first time a Manchester United player has received the men’s award since Wayne Rooney in 2010. He broke the record for the most assists in a single Premier League campaign, registering 21 assists. Shaw’s award is her second in three seasons, following a campaign where she secured her third consecutive Women’s Super League (WSL) golden boot with 21 goals, contributing to Manchester City‘s championship win.
Young Player Awards and Team of the Year Selections
The men’s young player of the year award went to Manchester City defender Nico O’Reilly, who succeeds Morgan Rogers. O’Reilly, a versatile 21-year-old, established himself in the starting lineup, contributing eight goal involvements, including five goals, and was part of nine clean sheets in 34 league appearances. He also scored twice and was named player of the match when Manchester City defeated Arsenal in the League Cup final. O’Reilly’s impact was further highlighted by him being voted the Premier League Young Player of the Season and Manchester City Player of the Season for 2025/26.
Arsenal’s Olivia Smith retained her title as the women’s young player of the year, becoming the second player, after England international Lauren Hemp, to win the award multiple times. The Canada international, 22, scored 10 goals across all competitions after joining Arsenal from Liverpool for £1m last summer. She scored 10 goals in 38 matches in all competitions during the 2025/26 season.
The Premier League team of the year, voted by players, was largely composed of players from champions Arsenal and runners-up Manchester City. Arsenal had five representatives: goalkeeper David Raya, defenders Jurrien Timber, William Saliba, and Gabriel Magalhaes, and midfielder Declan Rice. Manchester City had four players selected: Nico O’Reilly, Rayan Cherki, Erling Haaland, and Antoine Semenyo. Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes and Brentford’s Igor Thiago completed the XI.
The WSL team of the year featured three players each from champions Manchester City, Chelsea, and Arsenal. Manchester United’s Jess Park and Tottenham defender Toko Koga were the only selections from outside the top three clubs.
Individual Achievements and Records
Despite a season without trophies for Manchester United, Bruno Fernandes achieved significant individual success. He surpassed the previous record of 20 assists in a Premier League campaign, held by Kevin de Bruyne and Thierry Henry. Fernandes concluded the 2025-26 season with nine goals and 21 assists in 35 league appearances, also scoring his side’s third goal against Brighton on the final day. In total, the 31-year-old contributed nine goals and 22 assists in 37 matches across all competitions, helping United secure third place and Champions League football. He joined Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020. Fernandes is the second Portuguese player to win the award, following Cristiano Ronaldo’s consecutive wins in 2007 and 2008.
Khadija Shaw’s golden boot season included 21 goals in 22 appearances as Manchester City claimed their second WSL title. The Jamaica international recorded hat-tricks against Aston Villa (scoring four goals) and Tottenham, and scored twice against West Ham on the final day of the season. She is the first player to score 20 or more goals in three different WSL seasons and the first to win three WSL golden boots, surpassing Vivienne Miedema and Sam Kerr, who each have two. The 29-year-old also scored an additional five goals, including the opener in the final, as Manchester City won the FA Cup. Shaw is the third individual to win multiple PFA Women’s Player of the Year awards, joining Lucy Bronze and Fran Kirby.
Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki was the second-most prolific provider in the league with 12 assists. He joined Manchester City from Lyon in June 2025 and made 53 appearances across all competitions, representing England at the 2026 World Cup finals. Antoine Semenyo, who moved to Manchester City from Bournemouth in January, scored 21 goals in 48 appearances and provided six assists. His back-flick secured a 1-0 win over Chelsea in the 2026 FA Cup final. Erling Haaland was also named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year for the third time, having been included in 2022/23 and 2023/24. He scored 38 club goals in total, including 27 in the Premier League, to claim a third Golden Boot award. Arsenal’s Alessia Russo, a nominee for the women’s category, scored 24 goals in 40 matches across all competitions in the 2025/26 season, including a hat-trick in the north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur, which Arsenal won 5-2 at Emirates Stadium.
Source: bbc.co.uk