Bruno Fernandes, Shaw named FWA Footballers of the Year

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes and Manchester City forward Khadija Shaw have been named Football Writers’ Association (FWA) Men’s and Women’s Footballers of the Year respectively.

Fernandes earned the men’s award following an impressive season in which he played a key role in Manchester United’s return to the UEFA Champions League. 

The Portuguese midfielder has scored eight Premier League goals and provided 19 assists, leaving him just one short of the league’s single-season assist record shared by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne, with three matches still remaining.

The 31-year-old beat Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice by 28 votes, while Manchester City striker Erling Haaland finished third in the voting. Fernandes is the first Manchester United player to win the honour since Wayne Rooney in 2010.

Under interim manager Michael Carrick, United have climbed to third in the Premier League standings and secured a return to the Champions League after a two-year absence.

In the women’s category, Shaw claimed the FWA award for the second time after previously winning it in 2024. The Jamaican striker has been instrumental in Manchester City’s push for their first Women’s Super League title in a decade.

Shaw has scored 19 goals in 21 league appearances and is on course to secure the WSL Golden Boot for a third consecutive season. She finished comfortably ahead of last year’s winner Alessia Russo of Arsenal, while Chelsea’s Lauren James came third in the voting.