Bruno Fernandes Etches His Name in History as the Ninth Man Utd Star to Claim English Soccer's Most Coveted Honor

Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes has been awarded the FWA Footballer of the Year for 2025–26, honoring his exceptional campaign.

With three games remaining in the season, Fernandes has matched the Premier League's all-time single-season assist record—his 20th assist arrived during last Sunday's victory against Liverpool, drawing level with the mark shared by Thierry Henry (2002–03) and Kevin De Bruyne (2019–20).

In terms of creativity, Fernandes has been in a class of his own throughout the division this season, and his contributions have been central to Manchester United's revival.

The FWA award is determined by a vote among football journalists who belong to the Football Writers' Association. It is handed out each year to "the professional player who by precept and example is considered by a ballot of members to be the footballer of the year."

Goalscorer.
Assist provider.
Award winner.

Presenting @TheOfficialFWA Footballer of the Year for 2025/26: @B_Fernandes8! 🏆❤️ pic.twitter.com/HfDMeepM33

The FWA Footballer of the Year is one of the three major individual honors each season, alongside the PFA Players' Player of the Year and the Premier League Player of the Season. While not a certainty, FWA winners have typically gone on to claim the other two awards as well, as seen in each of the past three seasons—Erling Haaland (2022–23), Phil Foden (2023–24) and Mohamed Salah (2024–25).

Football writers don't always gravitate toward the statistically best performer in a given season and have been known to factor in other qualities, as was the case with Jordan Henderson's award in 2019–20 or Scott Parker winning it while playing for a relegated West Ham United side in 2010–11. However, it would be difficult in 2025–26 to make a compelling case against Fernandes.

Fernandes becomes the first Manchester United player to claim the FWA honor since Wayne Rooney in 2009–10, and the 10th time overall that an Old Trafford player has won the award, dating back to the 1940s. Cristiano Ronaldo remains the only player to have won it twice, meaning nine different United players have taken the prize. Liverpool holds the all-time record for most FWA awards with 16.

Every Man Utd Winner of FWA Footballer of the Year

FWA Footballer of the Year Winners in the 21st Century