Manchester United Captain Receives PFA Player of the Year Award Amid City's Women's Title
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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes reacts to winning the men's 2026 PFA player of the year award. Pictures courtesy of the PFA.
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The Guardian SportManchester United’s captain Bruno Fernandes has been crowned Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year as Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw won the women’s award for the second time.
Sky SportsTuesday 25 August 2026 21:00, UK Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has been crowned the men's PFA Players' Player of the Year for the 2025/26 season.
Reuters SportsMan United's Fernandes named PFA Player of the Year - Reuters Man United's Fernandes named PFA Player of the Year Reuters
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Manchester City striker Bunny Shaw claimed the women's award for last season after helping her side to the Women's Super League title.
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BBC SportIt 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.
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The men's PFA Young Player of the Year was handed to Manchester City's Nico O'Reilly, while Arsenal's Olivia Smith picked up the women's prize.
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The Guardian SportManchester City’s Nico O’Reilly was named men’s PFA Young Player of the Year following an outstanding campaign that ended with the versatile talent helping England to win World Cup bronze. The 21-year-old was part of the PFA Premier League Team of the Year along with City teammates Erling Haaland, Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo.
BBC SportManchester City and England full-back Nico O'Reilly says "it feels amazing" after receiving the 2026 PFA young player of the year award. Pictures courtesy of the PFA.
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In the EFL, former Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackey, who joined Premier League side Everton this summer in a £24m deal, won the Championship PFA Players' Player of the Year.
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The Guardian SportHayden Hackney, now of Everton, was named Championship PFA Players’ Player of the Year for his performances for defeated play-off finalists Middlesbrough.
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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.
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The Guardian SportThe 31-year-old also scored nine times as United overcome a shaky first half of the campaign to finish third in the Premier League under Michael Carrick to earn a Champions League return.
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The Portugal international is the club’s first winner since Wayne Rooney took home the trophy in 2009-10, and adds to his Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award from May.
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BBC SportHe 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.
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Shaw, who was also recognised by the FWA, scooped the PFA Women’s Player of the Year award for the second time. The 29-year-old claimed the trophy in 2023-24 and won it again having scored 21 goals on the way to a third consecutive Golden Boot and her maiden Women’s Super League title.
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BBC SportShaw, 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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Champions Arsenal had five representatives in David Raya, Gabriel, William Saliba, Jurriën Timber and Declan Rice, with Player of the Year Fernandes of United and Brentford’s Igor Thiago completing the team.
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BBC SportPremier 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).
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01 The Guardian Sport Fernandes was pleased to have been voted the winner by his fellow professionals. He said: “It is obviously a very proud moment. They are the ones you go on the pitch against and it’s probably not easy to vote for someone you play against, so it is a very good moment.”
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02 BBC Sport Manchester City forward Khadija Shaw reacts to winning her second PFA player of the year award in three seasons. Pictures courtesy of the PFA.
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