Bruno Fernandes and Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw have been named the 2025/26 Football Writers' Association Footballers of the Year. Fernandes is the first Manchester United player to win since Wayne Rooney in 2010.
Key points
Bruno Fernandes won FWA Footballer of the Year for 2025/26
Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw also won the award
Fernandes is the first United player to win since Rooney in 2010
He had eight goals and 19 assists in the Premier League
Previous winners include Ronaldo and Keane
Mentioned in this story
Football Writers' Association
Manchester UnitedManchester City
Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes and Manchester City striker Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw have been voted the 2025/26 Football Writers' Association Footballers of the Year.
Fernandes becomes the first player at Old Trafford to win the award since Wayne Rooney in 2009/10 after recording eight goals and 19 assists in the Premier League this season.
He joins an illustrious list of United players to secure the accolade, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Teddy Sheringham, Roy Keane, Eric Cantona, George Best, Bobby Charlton and Johnny Carey among those who have previously received the honour.
The 31-year-old playmaker needs just one assist in the remaining three games to match Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne's record for most assists in a top-flight campaign (20) after already helping United secure their return to the Champions League.
Shaw at the double! City striker wins it again
Shaw joins Sam Kerr and Fran Kirby to secure the award for a second time, after previously winning in the 2023/24 season.
FWA Women's Footballer of the Year
Khadija "Bunny" Shaw
Alessia Russo
Lauren James
The Jamaica striker has scored 19 goals in 21 Women's Super League games this season, helping City secure their first title in 10 years and is on course to win the WSL Golden Boot for a third consecutive season.
The 29-year-old striker has scored a remarkable 110 goals in 133 appearances for City since joining from Bordeaux in 2021 and there is believed to be interest in Shaw from Chelsea among other clubs, including from the USA.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Khadija Shaw Manchester City
Take a look at Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw's best goals from the 25/26 Women's Super League season as she races towards the golden boot!
Why did Fernandes get the nod?
Sky Sports' Adam Bate:
Declan Rice could power Arsenal over the line to a historic title win. There is still time for Erling Haaland to fire Manchester City there. But Bruno Fernandes' case has already been made. He has been the exceptional player in the Premier League this season.
With 19 assists already in the competition, the Manchester United captain is one shy of the record set by Thierry Henry and equalled by Kevin De Bruyne. Whether he surpasses them or not, his creativity in this campaign has been on another level to everyone else.
Fernandes has created 120 chances this season, according to Opta. He topped the Premier League charts in all but one of his previous five complete seasons at United - one behind Trent Alexander-Arnold in the other - but this is already his highest total.
Datawrapper
This content is provided by Datawrapper, which may be using cookies and other technologies.
To show you this content, we need your permission to use cookies.
You can use the buttons below to amend your preferences to enable Datawrapper cookies or to allow those cookies just once.
You can change your settings at any time via the Privacy Options.
Unfortunately we have been unable to verify if you have consented to Datawrapper cookies.
To view this content you can use the button below to allow Datawrapper cookies for this session only.
For context, it is almost double the number of chances created by the second man on the list. And while his ability to make things happen from set-pieces is a feature of his game - and of this season - he has created more in open play than anyone else in total.
There will be critics even now. The customary abuse at away grounds. Former players who question him. But any suggestion that Fernandes lacks leadership qualities should have been dismissed long ago. He has been a victim of United's malaise not the cause.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
BRUNO
Bruno Fernandes sits down with Gary Neville to discuss his loyalty to Manchester United
Like Bryan Robson before him, Fernandes has been a shining light in an awkward period in the club's history. But his own standards have remained. Both the supporters and his team-mates appreciate that. "I feel like he deserves so much," said Matheus Cunha recently.
"He helps everyone. He is a beautiful captain for the club. He passed through hard moments and he deserves to have these beautiful moments also. What a player, what a guy. He deserves the Player of the Year." The Football Writers' Association agree.
