Bruno Fernandes Beats Declan Rice and Erling Haaland to Win PFA Player of the Year Award
- Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes claimed the 2026 PFA Players' Player of the Year at the 53rd annual ceremony in Manchester
- Fernandes beat five nominees including Erling Haaland, Declan Rice, Rayan Cherki, David Raya and Gabriel Magalhães to win the award
- The Portuguese midfielder set a Premier League record with 21 assists this season and was also named Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year
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Bruno Fernandes was named the 2026 Professional Footballers' Association Players' Player of the Year on Tuesday, August 25, at the 53rd annual PFA Awards ceremony, held at the Manchester Opera House in Manchester, United Kingdom.
The Manchester United captain was voted the best player of the 2025/26 season by his fellow professionals, beating five other nominees including Manchester City pair Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki, and Arsenal trio Declan Rice, David Raya and Gabriel Magalhães.
Source: Getty Images
According to BBC Sport, the honour crowns an outstanding individual campaign for the 31-year-old, who contributed 21 Premier League assists, a record for a single season, as Man United secured a third-place finish and a return to the UEFA Champions League.
Fernandes had previously collected the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year award and the Premier League's Player of the Season prize, making the PFA award the third major individual honour of his campaign.
The PFA prize carries particular weight in English football because it is decided entirely by fellow professionals, with no input from fans, journalists, or a judging panel.
Haaland was among the leading contenders after claiming the Premier League Golden Boot for the third time, netting 27 goals in 35 league appearances for Manchester City.
Man City teammate Cherki earned his place on the shortlist following an impressive debut season in English football.
Arsenal, who lifted the Premier League title this season, placed three players, Rice, Raya and Gabriel, in the final six.
Other PFA Award winners on the night
Manchester City left back Nico O'Reilly took the Young Player of the Year award after a breakthrough campaign in which he made 53 appearances for Man City across all competitions and scored nine goals, The Standard reports.
The 21-year-old England international had also claimed the Premier League Young Player of the Season prize earlier in the year.
Arsenal striker Olivia Smith was named the Women's Young Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.
The PFA Premier League Team of the Year was also announced, with Arsenal dominating the selection.
David Raya was named in goal, while Gabriel Magalhães, William Saliba and Jurrien Timber joined Nico O'Reilly in a back four made up entirely of Arsenal and City players.
Bruno Fernandes, Declan Rice and Rayan Cherki were named in midfield, with Erling Haaland, Antoine Semenyo and Igor Thiago selected as the three forwards.
Fernandes, who has been at Old Trafford since January 2020, continues to be one of the most decorated players in the Premier League on an individual basis.
Fernandes wins Premier League POTS
Earlier, Legit.ng reported Fernandes has been officially named the Premier League Player of the Season after a sensational campaign that saw him dominate the league’s creative charts and lead Manchester United to a strong third-place finish and Champions League qualification.
The Portuguese midfielder beat out fierce competition from stars such as Erling Haaland and Declan Rice to claim the prestigious award for the first time in his career.
Source: Legit.ng
