Bruno Fernandes: Man Utd captain wins 2025/26 PFA Players' Player of the Year as Bunny Shaw wins women's award
Man Utd's Bruno Fernandes crowned PFA Player of the Year as Man City’s Bunny Shaw wins women’s award for second time; men's Young Player of the Year handed to Man City's Nico O'Reilly as Arsenal's Olivia Smith picks up women's prize; Sir Kenny Dalglish receives merit award
Tuesday 25 August 2026 22:04, UK
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has been crowned the men's PFA Players' Player of the Year for the 2025/26 season, as Manchester City's Bunny Shaw won the women's award for a second time.
Playmaker Fernandes broke the all-time record for Premier League assists during an outstanding 2025-26 campaign, setting up 21 goals as he surpassed Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.
The 31-year-old also scored nine times as United overcame a shaky first half of the campaign to finish third in the Premier League under Michael Carrick and earn a Champions League return.
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Fernandes was pleased to have been voted the winner by his fellow professionals.
He said: "It is obviously a very proud moment. 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."
The Portugal international is the Red Devils' first winner since Wayne Rooney took home the trophy in 2009/10 and adds to his Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year award from May.
Manchester City sharpshooter Shaw, who was also recognised by the FWA, scooped the PFA Women's Player of the Year award for the second time.
The 29-year-old claimed the trophy in 2023-24 and won it again, having scored 21 goals on the way to a third straight Golden Boot and her maiden Women's Super League title.
O'Reilly and Smith scoop young player awards
Arsenal's Olivia Smith picked up the women's PFA Young Player of the Year title for the second campaign running, having won the 2025 crown for her exploits at Liverpool and continued her form in the capital.
Manchester City's Nico O'Reilly was named men's PFA Young Player of the Year following an outstanding campaign that ended with the versatile talent helping England to win World Cup bronze.
The 21-year-old was part of the PFA Premier League Team of the Year along with City team-mates Erling Haaland, Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo.
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."
Champions Arsenal had five representatives in David Raya, Gabriel, William Saliba, Jurrien Timber and Declan Rice, with Player of the Year Fernandes of United and Brentford striker Igor Thiago completing the team.
The PFA WSL Team of the Year featured three players from triumphant City, with Shaw joined by team-mates Kerstin Casparij and Yui Hasegawa.
Mariona Caldentey, last year's PFA Women's Player of the Year, was joined in the XI by fellow Arsenal players Emily Fox and Alessia Russo.
Tottenham defender Toko Koga and Manchester United's Jess Park were also included in the team, as were the Chelsea trio of Hannah Hampton, Ellie Carpenter and Lauren James.
EFL awards revealed as Dalglish picks up merit prize
In the EFL, former Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackey, who joined Premier League side Everton this summer in a £24m deal, won the Championship PFA Players' Player of the Year.
Dom Ballard, who joined Bristol City from Leyton Orient earlier this summer, claimed the award in League One, while Swindon striker Aaron Drinan picked up the League Two prize.
Sir Kenny Dalglish and Karen Carney received the PFA merit awards in recognition of their contribution to football.
Dalglish enjoyed a success-laden career as a player with Celtic and Liverpool, and is Scotland's most capped player, having represented his country on 102 occasions.
The 75-year-old, who confirmed in June that he was undergoing treatment for cancer, went on to enjoy a successful managerial career, leading Liverpool to three league titles before masterminding Blackburn's Premier League triumph.
Carney played 144 times for England, including being part of the Lionesses squad which finished third at the 2015 World Cup.
Having come through the ranks at Birmingham, Carney won the quadruple with Arsenal in 2007 as well as a league and FA Cup double with Chelsea in 2018.
