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PFA Awards 2026: Bruno Fernandes and Declan Rice Face Tense Player of the Year Showdown
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes was named the PFA Players' Player of the Year for the 2025-26 season, breaking the Premier League record with 21 assists. Manchester City forward Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw won the women's award, her third consecutive WSL golden boot, while Nico O'Reilly and Olivia Smith claimed the young player honours.
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes and Manchester City forward Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw have been named the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) men's and women's players of the year, as announced at a ceremony held at the Manchester Opera House on Tuesday. The winners were chosen by a vote of fellow professional footballers.
Fernandes beat a six-man shortlist that included Arsenal trio David Raya, Declan Rice and Gabriel Magalhaes, as well as Manchester City pair Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki. The Portuguese midfielder's victory marks the first time a Manchester United player has claimed the award since Wayne Rooney in 2010.
Fernandes, who had already won the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year and Premier League Player of the Season awards for 2025-26, was recognised for a campaign in which he set a new Premier League record with 21 assists. The previous record of 20 assists in a single season, jointly held by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne, was broken on the final day against Brighton, when Fernandes set up the opener and scored his ninth league goal. In 35 league appearances, he registered nine goals and 21 assists, helping United finish third and secure a return to the Champions League.
A Record-Breaking Season
Fernandes also won the Premier League Playmaker of the Season, and the Sun reported that he received the award from former United midfielder Juan Mata. The Portuguese international, who joined the club from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020, surpassed David Beckham's club record for assists in a single Premier League season, according to that outlet.
His tally of assists was the second-most prolific in the league, with the BBC noting that Manchester City's Rayan Cherki was the second-most prolific provider with 12 assists. In all competitions, Fernandes was credited with nine goals and 22 assists in 37 matches.
The Daily Star highlighted that the award comes just days after United's 2-0 defeat to newly promoted Hull City in their opening match of the new season, with Michael Carrick in charge. The Sun quoted Fernandes saying he was “very proud” and focused on the upcoming fixture at home to Ipswich Town: “We've got a game at home that we want to win,” he said.
Fernandes is the second Portuguese player to win the PFA player of the year after Cristiano Ronaldo, and his success was further underlined by his inclusion in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year, alongside teammates and rivals.
Carrick and the Women's Awards
Shaw's recognition came after she claimed a third consecutive Women's Super League golden boot with 21 goals, helping Manchester City win the WSL title. The Jamaica international had previously been named the Football Writers' Association women's footballer of the year.
In the men's young player of the year category, Manchester City defender Nico O'Reilly won the award, succeeding Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers. O'Reilly, who was praised by the BBC for his versatility, contributed eight goal involvements and nine clean sheets in 34 league outings. Arsenal's Olivia Smith retained the women's young player award, becoming only the fifth second player after Lauren Hemp to win it multiple times, having scored 10 goals in all competitions.
Team of the Year Selections
Both men's and women's PFA Teams of the Year were also revealed. The men's team featured Fernandes, O'Reilly, Raya, Rice, Haaland, Cherki, Gabriel Magalhaes, Antoine Semenyo, Igor Thiago, Jurrien Timber and William Saliba.
Jess Park, who moved from Manchester City to United Women in September 2025, was named in the WSL Team of the Year after featuring in all 22 league fixtures, with six goals and five assists. She was selected among the midfield with Mariona Caldentey and Yui Hasegawa.
Merit Awards
The PFA also presented merit awards to Sir Kenny Dalglish and Karen Carney, as reported by the Independent. Player of the Year awards in the EFL were given to Hayden Hackney (Championship), Dom Ballard (League One) and Aaron Drinan (League Two), according to The Sun.
How each outlet told it
BBC — World
Framing: Headline names both winners, emphasizing gender parity. — Celebratory, factual; e.g., 'It is a second win in three seasons for Shaw'
Facts Included:
Bruno Fernandes and Khadija Shaw won PFA men's and women's player of the year.
Both previously won FWA awards for 2025-26.
Fernandes broke record for most assists with 21.
First United player since Wayne Rooney in 2010.
Shaw won second win in three seasons, third consecutive WSL golden boot with 21 goals.
Nico O'Reilly won men's young player of the year.
O'Reilly had eight goal involvements (five goals), nine clean sheets in 34 league outings.
Olivia Smith retained women's young player award, second player after Lauren Hemp to win multiple times.
Smith scored 10 goals in all competitions after joining from Liverpool for £1m.
Fernandes surpassed Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne's record of 20 assists.
Fernandes set up opener and scored third on final day against Brighton, finished with nine goals and 21 assists in 35 league outings.
Cherki was second-most prolific provider with 12 assists.
United finished third and secured Champions League.
Fernandes scored nine goals and 22 assists in 37 matches in all competitions.
Joined from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020.
Beat Arsenal trio Gabriel Magalhaes, David Raya, Declan Rice and Man City's Cherki and Haaland.
Second Portuguese to win after Cristiano Ronaldo in 2007 and 2008.
Framing: Headline focuses on 27 Premier League Player of the Year, likely referring to odds listicle; it emphasizes betting odds rather than the award winner. — Speculative, focused on betting markets; e.g., 'with barely any time for the dust to settle'
Facts Included:
Bruno Fernandes won the 2025/26 Premier League Player of the Year Award, announced on Tuesday.
Fernandes broke the assist record with 21 assists last season.
He is the first Manchester United player to win since Wayne Rooney in 2010.
Betfair odds for 2026/27 contenders have emerged.
Specific odds for various players (e.g., Estevao 60/1, Danny Welbeck 50/1, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo in same range).
David Raya won Golden Glove in three of last four campaigns.
Cody Gakpo subject of transfer tug-of-war between Liverpool, Man City, Tottenham.
Viktor Gyokeres, Enzo Fernandez, Youri Tielemans share odds of 33/1.
Virgil van Dijk 19th favourite, Florian Wirtz 18th.
Gabriel Magalhaes given odds of 22/1.
Morgan Rogers is Chelsea's £116m signing.
Elliot Anderson features after Man City paid club-record fee.
Joao Pedro scored in 31 seconds in first league game.
Alexander Isak, Dominik Szoboszlai mentioned.
Antoine Semenyo and Bruno Guimaraes both on 14/1.
Bukayo Saka sixth favourite, Rayan Cherki in top five.
Rayan Cherki registered two assists as City beat Bournemouth 2-1.
Framing: Headline emphasizes 'ultimate recognition' for Fernandes as Man United captain. — Celebratory, club-focused; e.g., 'gets ultimate recognition'
Facts Included:
Bruno Fernandes won Men's PFA Players' Player of the Year at ceremony at The Opera House in Quay Street.
Beat David Raya, Declan Rice, Erling Haaland, Gabriel Magalhaes, Rayan Cherki.
All six make PFA Premier League Team of the Year, alongside Antoine Semenyo, Igor Thiago, Jurrien Timber, Nico O'Reilly (Young Player), William Saliba.
Fernandes adds to FWA Footballer of the Year and Premier League Player of the Season trophies.
Also won Premier League Playmaker of the Season.
Assisted record-breaking 21 goals, one more than Thierry Henry in 2002/03.
Scored nine goals.
Led United to third place, highest finish for three years.
Named Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year for third-straight season.
Voted United Players' Player of the Year for last two seasons.
Kobbie Mainoo missed out on PFA Young Player award.
Nico O'Reilly won young player award ahead of Rayan Cherki, Junior Kroupi, Max Dowman, Rio Ngumoha.
Framing: Headline lists award categories, indicating a preview of the ceremony. — Informative, neutral; e.g., 'The awards that many fans look forward to seeing awarded'
Facts Included:
53rd annual PFA Awards ceremony hosted at Manchester Opera House.
Awards cover Premier League, EFL, WSL, WSL 2.
Players vote for winners.
Last year Mohamed Salah won PFA Player of the Year (2024-25).
Morgan Rogers won Best Young Player last year for Aston Villa.
Three Arsenal players nominated for Player of the Year after Arsenal won Premier League.
Nominees include Declan Rice, Gabriel, Erling Haaland, Bruno Fernandes, Rayan Cherki, David Raya.
Framing: Headline focuses on Manchester United duo in Team of the Year, not individual awards. — Positive for United, recognizing individual achievements; e.g., 'double boost'
Facts Included:
Bruno Fernandes selected in PFA Premier League Team of the Year.
Scored nine league goals and registered record-breaking 21 assists.
Surpassed previous record of 20 assists held by Henry and De Bruyne.
Fernandes named alongside Declan Rice, team dominated by champions and runners-up.
Erling Haaland, Rayan Cherki, Antoine Semenyo, Igor Thiago selected among attacking options.
Second time Fernandes made PFA Team of the Year, previously alongside Luke Shaw after 2020/21.
Jess Park named in 2026 PFA WSL Team of the Year.
Park moved from City to United in September 2025.
Featured in all 22 league fixtures, recording six goals and five assists.
Already earned United's Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year.
Selected in midfield alongside Mariona Caldentey and Yui Hasegawa.
Previous United Women inclusions: Ona Batlle, Mary Earps, Maya Le Tissier, Phallon Tullis-Joyce, Jayde Riviere.
Recognition underlines individual importance of Fernandes and Park.
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Claim
Confidence
Status
ClaimBruno Fernandes won the PFA Players' Player of the Year award for the 2025-26 season.
ClaimBruno Fernandes previously won the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year and Premier League Player of the Season awards for 2025-26.
ClaimThe PFA Premier League Team of the Year included: David Raya, Jurrien Timber, Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba, Nico O'Reilly, Declan Rice, Bruno Fernandes, Rayan Cherki, Antoine Semenyo, Erling Haaland, and Igor Thiago.
ClaimKhadija Shaw was linked with a transfer to Chelsea, but she signed a new contract with Manchester City to become one of women's football's best-paid players.