PFA Awards 2026: Bruno Fernandes Wins PFA Player of the Year award; Joins Compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo In Elite List

 

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has joined an exclusive club by winning the PFA Player of the Year award for an outstanding 2025-2026 campaign. He has become only the second Portuguese player after Cristiano Ronaldo to bag the award. He was rewarded for breaking the Premier League record for assists.

Fernandes registered 21 assists last season, which is the most by any player in a single edition of the English Premier League (EPL). Also, he scored nine goals, playing a key role in Manchester United finishing third in the standings. His performance drew the votes of the members of the Professional Footballers' Association, which helped him clinch the award.

 

The 31-year-old is only the second player from Portugal to win the award after Ronaldo, who got the accolade in 2007 and 2008 while playing for the Red Devils. His winning the award also continued the dominance of the Manchester United, as players from the club have won the PFA Player of the Year award 12 times, which is more than any other English club.

The award has added another feather in the cap of the Portuguese midfielder. He has scored 110 goals and provided 106 assists since joining the club in 2020. Also, he reached the mark of 200 goal contributions from just 314 EPL appearances. Notably, only Wayne Rooney has reached the landmark faster than him,

Fernandes was also part of the PFA Premier League Team of the Year. Other stars in the lineup included Arsenal's David Raya, Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba and Jurrien Timber, Manchester City's Nico O'Reilly, Declan Rice and Rayan Cherki, and forwards Erling Haaland, Antoine Semenyo and Brentford's Igor Thiago.

 

Manchester City’s O'Reilly also bagged the PFA Young Player of the Year award, scoring nine goals from 53 appearances in all competitions.

In the women’s awards, Manchester City forward Khadija Shaw won PFA Women's Player of the Year for the second time. She scored 21 goals in the Women's Super League season and was the top scorer in the tournament. Arsenal striker Olivia Smith was named Women's Young Player of the Year.

 

Men's Players' Player of the Year: Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) - Recorded a record 21 assists.

Women's Players' Player of the Year: Khadija "Bunny" Shaw (Manchester City) - Secured her third straight WSL golden boot.

Men's Young Player of the Year: Nico O'Reilly (Manchester City) - Breakthrough season with 9 goals.

Women's Young Player of the Year: Olivia Smith (Arsenal) - Retained her title with 10 goals.

Championship Player of the Year: Hayden Hackney (Middlesbrough/Everton).

League One Player of the Year: Dom Ballard (Leyton Orient/Bristol City).

League Two Player of the Year: Aaron Drinan (Swindon Town).

WSL2 Player of the Year: Lily Crosthwaite (Birmingham City).

Merit Awards: Sir Kenny Dalglish & Karen Carney OBE.