Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has been honoured as the PFA Players' Player of the Year for the 2025/26 season, while Manchester City forward Bunny Shaw secured the women’s award for a second consecutive year. Fernandes, the creative engine of United, shattered the Premier League’s all‑time assist record during an extraordinary campaign, delivering 21 assists and overtaking the tallies of Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.
In addition to his playmaking feats, the 31‑year‑old netted nine goals, helping United recover from a sluggish start to finish third in the league under the guidance of Michael Carrick and to clinch a return to the Champions League. Fernandes expressed genuine pride at being voted by his peers, saying, “It’s a massive moment for me. The players you line up against are the ones casting the votes, so it isn’t easy to be chosen by them.
It makes the achievement even more special.” His accolade marks the first time a United player has lifted the PFA Players' Player of the Year trophy since Wayne Rooney’s win in the 2009/10 season, adding to the Portugal international’s recent Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year award earned in May. On the women’s side, Manchester City’s prolific striker Bunny Shaw repeated her success, taking home the PFA Women’s Player of the Year award for the second time.
The 29‑year‑old, also recognised by the Football Writers' Association, scored 21 goals during the season, securing a third straight Golden Boot and helping City claim the Women’s Super League title for the first time in the club’s history. Shaw’s consistency and clinical finishing have made her one of the most feared attackers in the women’s game. Arsenal’s rising star Olivia Smith was named the PFA Women’s Young Player of the Year for the second year running. After winning the 2025 edition while representing Liverpool, Smith continued her impressive form after moving to the capital, cementing her reputation as one of England’s brightest attacking talents.
In the men’s youth category, Manchester City’s versatile youngster Nico O'Reilly captured the PFA Young Player of the Year award. The 21‑year‑old enjoyed a standout season, contributing to City’s domestic dominance and playing a key role in England’s bronze‑medal finish at the World Cup. O'Reilly, who also featured in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year alongside teammates Erling Haaland, Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo, reflected on his achievements: “It’s been an amazing season.
Winning two trophies with my club and representing my country at the World Cup has been a dream come true.” Champions Arsenal were well represented in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year, with David Raya, Gabriel, William Saliba, Jurrien Timber and Declan Rice earning spots alongside United’s Fernandes and Brentford striker Igor Thiago. The women’s PFA WSL Team of the Year featured three City players – Shaw, Kerstin Casparij and Yui Hasegawa – while Arsenal’s Mariona Caldentey, last year’s Women’s Player of the Year, was joined by teammates Emily Fox and Alessia Russo. Tottenham defender Toko Koga, United’s Jess Park, and Chelsea’s trio of Hannah Hampton, Ellie Carpenter and Lauren James also made the elite eleven.
Further down the football pyramid, former Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackey, who completed a £24 million move to Everton this summer, was named the Championship PFA Players' Player of the Year. In League One, Dom Ballard earned the honour after his transfer from Leyton Orient to Bristol City, while Swindon striker Aaron Drinan collected the League Two award.
The PFA also presented merit awards to Sir Kenny Dalglish and Karen Carney in recognition of their lifelong contributions to the sport. Dalglish, a Scottish legend with 102 caps, enjoyed a glittering playing career with Celtic and Liverpool before guiding the Reds to three league titles as manager and later leading Blackburn Rovers to Premier League glory. The 75‑year‑old recently confirmed he is undergoing treatment for cancer, prompting an outpouring of support from the football community. Carney, a former England international with 144 caps, was a key figure in the Lionesses’ third‑place finish at the 2015 World Cup.
Rising through Birmingham’s academy, she helped Arsenal secure a historic quadruple in 2007 and later added a league and FA Cup double with Chelsea in 2018. These awards celebrate not only individual brilliance but also the depth of talent across English football, from the top tiers to the lower leagues, and honour the enduring legacy of those who have shaped the game for generations.