Bruno Fernandes and Bunny Shaw Named PFA Players of the Year
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes and Manchester City forward Bunny Shaw have been honored with the Professional Footballers’ Associations men’s and women’s player of the year awards, respectively. Both players previously received accolades as the Football Writers’ Association men’s and women’s footballers of the year for the 2025-26 season.
Fernandes achieved a historic milestone last season, breaking the record for the most assists in a single Premier League campaign with 21. He is the first player from Manchester United to win this award since Wayne Rooney took the title in 2010. Meanwhile, Shaw, who secured her third consecutive Women’s Super League (WSL) golden boot with 21 goals, claimed her second award in three seasons as Manchester City were crowned champions.
City defender Nico O’Reilly succeeded Morgan Rogers as the men’s young player of the year. The versatile 21-year-old established himself in the starting lineup, contributing eight goal involvements, including five goals, and nine clean sheets across 34 league matches. He also earned player of the match honors when City defeated Arsenal in the League Cup final.
Arsenal’s Olivia Smith was recognized as the women’s young player of the year, making her the second player to win the award multiple times, following England international Lauren Hemp. The 22-year-old Canada international scored 10 goals in all competitions after her transfer from Liverpool for £1 million last summer.
Individual Success for Record-Breaker Fernandes
Despite Manchester United’s lack of trophies this season, Fernandes enjoyed a successful individual campaign, exceeding the previous record of 20 assists held by Kevin de Bruyne and Thierry Henry. He assisted in determining the match outcome against Brighton on the final day of the season and finished with nine goals and 21 assists in 35 league appearances. Additionally, his contributions helped United secure third place and Champions League football. In all competitions, he amassed nine goals and 22 assists in 37 matches.
Joining the club from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020, Fernandes outperformed Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes, David Raya, Declan Rice, and Manchester City players Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland to claim this prestigious award. He became only the second Portuguese player to earn the player of the year recognition after Cristiano Ronaldo’s consecutive wins in 2007 and 2008.
Golden Shaw Wins Again
Shaw’s remarkable season included 21 goals in just 22 appearances, leading to Manchester City’s second WSL title. The Jamaica international notably netted four goals in one match against Aston Villa and completed hat-tricks against Tottenham, while also scoring twice against West Ham on the final day of the season. She made history as the first player to score 20 or more goals in three different WSL seasons and secured her third golden boot, surpassing former two-time winners Vivienne Miedema and Sam Kerr.
In addition to her WSL achievements, Shaw contributed five goals, including the opening goal in the FA Cup final, as Manchester City triumphed. She joins the ranks of Lucy Bronze and Fran Kirby as one of only three individuals to win multiple PFA women’s player of the year awards, having achieved the PFA and FWA double last season.
Arsenal and Man City Dominate Team of the Year
The Premier League team of the year, as chosen by players, prominently featured champions Arsenal and runners-up Manchester City. Arsenal’s strong defense, which conceded just 27 goals last season, was reflected in their selections: goalkeeper David Raya and defenders Gabriel, William Saliba, and Jurrien Timber, along with midfielder Declan Rice. Manchester City had four players in the selection: O’Reilly, Cherki, Haaland, and Antoine Semenyo; while Fernandes and Brentford’s Igor Thiago made their debuts in the team of the year.
In the WSL team of the year, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Arsenal each had three representatives, with Manchester United’s Jess Park and Tottenham’s Toko Koga being the only selections from outside the top three.
Premier League Team of the Year:
David Raya (Arsenal); Jurrien Timber (Arsenal), William Saliba (Arsenal), Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal), Nico O’Reilly (Man City); Bruno Fernandes (Man United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Rayan Cherki (Man City); Erling Haaland (Man City), Antoine Semenyo (Man City), Igor Thiago (Brentford).
WSL Team of the Year:
Hannah Hampton (Chelsea); Kerstin Casparij (Man City), Toko Koga (Tottenham), Ellie Carpenter (Chelsea), Emily Fox (Arsenal); Yui Hasegawa (Man City), Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal), Jess Park (Man United); Bunny Shaw (Man City), Alessia Russo (Arsenal), Lauren James (Chelsea).
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes and Manchester City forward Khadija Shaw have won the Professional Footballers’ Associations men’s and women’s player of the year awards.
Both were previously named the Football Writers’ Association men’s and women’s footballers of the year for the 2025-26 season.
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Fernandes, who last season broke the record for the most assists in a single Premier League campaign with 21, is the first United player to win the award since Wayne Rooney in 2010.
It is a second win in three seasons for Shaw, who secured her third consecutive Women’s Super League (WSL) golden boot with 21 goals as Man City were crowned champions.
City defender Nico O’Reilly succeeds Morgan Rogers as men’s young player of the year, with the versatile 21-year-old cementing his place in the starting XI.
He contributed eight goal involvements (five goals) and nine clean sheets in 34 league outings, scoring twice, and was named player of the match as City beat Arsenal in the League Cup final.
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Arsenal’s Olivia Smith retained her crown as the women’s young player of the year, becoming only the second player after England international Lauren Hemp, to win the award on multiple occasions.
The Canada international, 22, scored 10 goals in all competitions after joining the Gunners for £1m last summer from Liverpool.
Individual success for record-breaker Fernandes
Although it was another trophy-less campaign for Man United, Fernandes enjoyed individual success, surpassing Kevin de Bruyne and Thierry Henry’s record of 20 assists in a Premier League campaign.
Fernandes set up his side’s opener on the final day of the season against Brighton – and scored their third – to finish 2025-26 with nine goals and 21 assists in 35 league outings. Man City’s Rayan Cherki was the second-most prolific provider, with 12 assists.
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His haul helped United finish third and secure Champions League football.
In total, the 31-year-old scored nine goals and contributed 22 assists in 37 matches in all competitions.
Fernandes, who joined the club from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020, beat Arsenal trio Gabriel Magalhaes, David Raya, and Declan Rice and Man City attackers Cherki and Erling Haaland to the award.
He is only the second Portuguese to be named player of the year, following back-to-back wins for former Man United winger Cristiano Ronaldo in 2007 and 2008.
Golden Shaw wins again
Shaw scored 21 goals in 22 appearances as Man City clinched their second WSL title.
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The Jamaica international registered hat-tricks against Aston Villa (four goals) and Tottenham and scored twice against West Ham on the final day of the season to become the first player to score 20 or more goals in three different WSL seasons.
Shaw is the first player to win three WSL golden boots, moving clear of two-time winners Vivienne Miedema and Sam Kerr.
The 29-year-old scored a further five goals, including the opener in the final, as Man City won the FA Cup.
Shaw, the third individual to win multiple PFA women’s player of the year awards, joining Lucy Bronze and Fran Kirby, previously completed the PFA and FWA double following the 2023-24 campaign.
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Team-mate Yui Hasegawa, Aston Villa’s Kirsty Hanson, Chelsea’s Lauren James, Man United’s Jess Park, and Arsenal’s Alessia Russo were also shortlisted.
Arsenal and Man City dominate team of the year
The Premier League team of the year, as voted for by the players, was dominated by champions Arsenal and runners-up Man City.
Arsenal only conceded 27 goals last season, with that impressive record reflected in the selections of goalkeeper Raya and defenders Gabriel, William Saliba and Jurrien Timber named alongside midfielder Rice.
Man City have four representatives – O’Reilly, Cherki, Haaland and Antoine Semenyo – with Man United’s Fernandes and team of the year debutant Igor Thiago (Brentford) completing the XI.
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The WSL side features three players apiece from champions Man City, Chelsea, and Arsenal, with Man United’s Park and Tottenham defender Toko Koga the only players selected from outside the top three sides.
Premier League team of the year: David Raya (Arsenal); Jurrien Timber (Arsenal), William Saliba (Arsenal), Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal), Nico O’Reilly (Man City); Bruno Fernandes (Man United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Rayan Cherki (Man City); Erling Haaland (Man City), Antoine Semenyo (Man City), Igor Thiago (Brentford).
WSL team of the year: Hannah Hampton (Chelsea); Kerstin Casparij (Man City), Toko Koga (Tottenham), Ellie Carpenter (Chelsea), Emily Fox (Arsenal); Yui Hasegawa (Man City), Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal), Jess Park (Man United); Bunny Shaw (Man City), Alessia Russo (Arsenal), Lauren James (Chelsea).
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