Bruno Fernandes and Khadija Shaw win PFA player of the year awards

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes and Manchester City striker Khadija Shaw have won the Professional Footballers’ Association men’s and women’s player of the year awards for the 2025-26 season.

Fernandes earned the men’s honor after recording 21 Premier League assists, breaking the competition’s single-season record. The 31-year-old Portugal international also scored nine league goals as Manchester United finished third and secured a return to the Champions League. He is the first United player to win the award since Wayne Rooney in 2009-10.

Shaw won the women’s award for the second time after scoring 21 goals, claiming a third consecutive Women’s Super League Golden Boot and helping Manchester City win the league title. The Jamaica international previously received the PFA honor for the 2023-24 season.

Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly was named men’s young player of the year, while Arsenal’s Olivia Smith retained the women’s young player award.

O’Reilly was also selected in the PFA Premier League team of the year alongside City teammates Erling Haaland, Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo. Arsenal supplied five players to the team after winning the league.

The awards are decided by votes from professional players. Former Liverpool player and manager Kenny Dalglish and former England international Karen Carney received PFA merit awards for their contributions to football.