Bruno Fernandes has capped a remarkable 2025-26 campaign by being named the PFA Players’ Player of the Year, completing a personal clean sweep of the major individual awards after a season in which he rewrote the Premier League’s assist record.The Manchester United captain was recognised by his fellow professionals at the PFA Awards in Manchester on Tuesday evening, becoming the first United player to win the prestigious prize since Wayne Rooney in 2010.Fernandes’ victory came after he had already been named the Premier League Player of the Season and Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year, meaning the Portugal international has now collected all three major individual honours available to him for his extraordinary campaign.His 2025-26 season was defined by creativity as much as goals. Fernandes finished with 21 Premier League assists, breaking a record previously shared by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne, while also scoring nine goals as United secured third place and a return to the Champions League under manager Michael Carrick.But his dominance was not confined to the individual award.Fernandes was also selected in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year, where he was one of only two players from outside Arsenal and Manchester City to make the XI. The other was Brentford striker Igor Thiago.
Fernandes completes the individual-award hat-trick
Fernandes’ PFA triumph is the latest recognition of a season in which he consistently stood out despite United’s struggles in previous campaigns.His record-breaking assist tally reached 21 on the final day of the Premier League season, when he provided the delivery for Patrick Dorgu’s header against Brighton.That moved him beyond the previous joint record of 20 assists held by Henry and De Bruyne and gave Fernandes the outright Premier League record for assists in a single season.He finished the campaign with nine goals as United climbed to third in the table, securing Champions League qualification.
FILE – Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes walks off the pitch after the Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Leeds in Manchester, England, April 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson, File)
The PFA award carries a particular significance because it is voted for by fellow professional footballers.Fernandes, who attended Tuesday night’s ceremony with his wife Ana, admitted that receiving recognition from players he competes against made the achievement particularly meaningful.“It is obviously a very proud moment,” Fernandes said. “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.”His win also restored United’s presence at the top of the PFA’s individual awards after a 16-year wait. Rooney was the last Manchester United player to win the men’s Players’ Player of the Year award, taking the honour for the 2009-10 season.Fernandes has also become the first Portuguese Manchester United player to win the award since Cristiano Ronaldo, who claimed the PFA Players’ Player of the Year prize in consecutive seasons in 2006-07 and 2007-08 during his time at Old Trafford.Mohamed Salah, who won the award last year, was unable to retain it this time, while no Liverpool player was selected in the Premier League Team of the Year.
Arsenal and Manchester City dominate the Team of the Year
The composition of the PFA Premier League Team of the Year underlined just how heavily the 2025-26 campaign was shaped by Arsenal and Manchester City.Fernandes was the lone Manchester United representative, while Brentford’s Igor Thiago was the only other player from outside those two clubs.Arsenal supplied five players to the XI, with goalkeeper David Raya joined by defenders William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhães and Jurriën Timber, while Declan Rice was selected in midfield.Manchester City also had four representatives: Nico O’Reilly, Rayan Cherki, Antoine Semenyo and Erling Haaland.The completed XI therefore contained:
- David Raya — Arsenal
- Jurriën Timber — Arsenal
- William Saliba — Arsenal
- Gabriel Magalhães — Arsenal
- Nico O’Reilly — Manchester City
- Bruno Fernandes — Manchester United
- Declan Rice — Arsenal
- Rayan Cherki — Manchester City
- Erling Haaland — Manchester City
- Antoine Semenyo — Manchester City
- Igor Thiago — Brentford
The PFA Team of the Year is effectively the players’ all-star XI for the Premier League season, with professionals voting to select the best performers across the campaign.For Fernandes, being included alongside such a dominant Arsenal and City contingent further emphasised the scale of his individual season.
O’Reilly beats Cherki to Young Player award
Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly had an equally memorable night after being named PFA Men’s Young Player of the Year.O’Reilly beat a shortlist that included his City team-mate Rayan Cherki, Arsenal teenager Max Dowman, Junior Kroupi, Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo and Liverpool youngster Rio Ngumoha.His campaign extended beyond club football, with O’Reilly also helping England finish with a bronze medal at the World Cup.Reflecting on his season, O’Reilly said:“I had a great season. I’m very proud of the season I had. I won two trophies with my club and managed to play at the World Cup with my country. I’m over the moon how it turned out.”O’Reilly’s award also complemented his inclusion in the senior PFA Team of the Year, making him one of the night’s standout individual winners.
Bunny Shaw wins women’s award for a second time
Manchester City’s Bunny Shaw claimed the PFA Women’s Players’ Player of the Year for the second time.Shaw had previously won the award in 2024 and now joins an exclusive group of players to have collected the women’s prize twice.Only Lucy Bronze, who won in 2014 and 2017, and Fran Kirby, who won in 2018 and 2021, had previously achieved that feat.Shaw’s latest victory followed another outstanding season in front of goal.The Manchester City striker scored 21 goals in 22 Women’s Super League appearances, winning the WSL Golden Boot and helping City claim their first top-flight title in 10 years.Shaw was also selected in the PFA Women’s Team of the Year.
PFA Awards 2026 at a glance:
Men’s major awards
- PFA Players’ Player of the Year: Bruno Fernandes — Manchester United
- PFA Young Player of the Year: Nico O’Reilly — Manchester City
- Championship Player of the Year: Hayden Hackney — Everton
- League One Player of the Year: Dom Ballard — Leyton Orient
- League Two Player of the Year: Aaron Drinan — Swindon
Women’s major awards
- PFA Women’s Players’ Player of the Year: Bunny Shaw — Manchester City
- PFA Women’s Young Player of the Year: Olivia Smith — Arsenal
Men’s Premier League Team of the Year
- GK: David Raya — Arsenal
- DEF: Jurriën Timber — Arsenal
- DEF: William Saliba — Arsenal
- DEF: Gabriel Magalhães — Arsenal
- DEF: Nico O’Reilly — Manchester City
- MID: Bruno Fernandes — Manchester United
- MID: Declan Rice — Arsenal
- MID: Rayan Cherki — Manchester City
- FWD: Erling Haaland — Manchester City
- FWD: Antoine Semenyo — Manchester City
- FWD: Igor Thiago — Brentford
Women’s WSL Team of the Year
- GK: Hannah Hampton — Chelsea
- DEF: Kerstin Casparij — Manchester City
- DEF: Toko Koga — Tottenham
- DEF: Ellie Carpenter — Chelsea
- DEF: Emily Fox — Arsenal
- MID: Yui Hasegawa — Manchester City
- MID: Mariona Caldentey — Arsenal
- MID: Jess Park — Manchester United
- FWD: Bunny Shaw — Manchester City
- FWD: Alessia Russo — Arsenal
- FWD: Lauren James — Chelsea
The Fernandes record
- 21 Premier League assists
- Broke the previous 20-assist record jointly held by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne
- 9 Premier League goals
- United finished third
- United secured a return to the Champions League
- First Manchester United PFA Players’ Player of the Year since Wayne Rooney in 2010
- Also won the Premier League Player of the Season
- Also won the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year
- Only one of two players outside Arsenal and Manchester City in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year
