Bruno Fernandes, the Portuguese midfielder and captain of Manchester United, received the Player of the Year award from the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) during the PFA Awards ceremony for the 2025-2026 season, which took place on Tuesday at the Opera House in Manchester. At the event, he posed with the 'Player of the Year' trophy and the 'Team of the Year' trophy.
At this ceremony, Fernandes was named the PFA Player of the Year. Meanwhile, Hadija Shaw from Manchester City won the female award for the second time.
The Portuguese player Fernandes set a Premier League record for assists during his outstanding individual 2025/26 season. He provided 21 assists, surpassing previous records held by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne. Furthermore, the 31-year-old footballer scored nine goals, allowing United to finish third in the Premier League despite a poor start, under the management of Michael Carrick, and secure a return to the Champions League.
Earlier, in May, Fernandes also won the Football Writers' Association Player of the Year award. Commenting on receiving the award, Fernandes stated: 'This is obviously a very proud moment. They are the teams you play against on the field, and it's probably not easy to vote for someone you play with, so it's a very good moment.'
Hadija Shaw was recognized for scoring 21 goals, nearing her third consecutive 'Golden Boot' and securing City's first Women's Super League title in a decade. Manchester City also saw young player of the year among men—Nico O'Reilly. The 21-year-old footballer scored twice in the League Cup final when City defeated Arsenal, and he was part of the team that won the FA Cup last season.
O'Reilly shared his joy, saying: 'I am very proud of the season I had. I won two trophies with my club and got to play in the World Cup with my country. I am overjoyed with how everything turned out.'
The Team of the Year included City teammates Erling Haaland, Ryan Cherki, and Antoine Semenyo. Arsenal, the reigning champion, was represented by five players: David Raya, Gabriel, William Saliba, Jurrien Timber, and Declan Rice. Fernandes and Igor Thiago from Brentford were also included in the Team of the Year.