Bruno Fernandes became the first Manchester United star to be crowned Premier League Player of the Season since Nemanja Vidić won the award in 2010–11.
The two modern icons of Old Trafford boast very different realms of expertise. Vidić’s solidity is balanced by Fernandes’s creativity, which has seen him equal the Premier League record for most assists in a single season. However, all those goals created have only been able to take United to third in the table—Vidić’s vintage won the league and reached that year’s Champions League final.
Fernandes was also crowned the Player of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association and may very well complete a clean sweep of individual accolades at the PFA awards. “A lot of players came out and said I was player of the season. For that, I am very grateful,” Fernandes acknowledged this week. Yet, he has loftier ambitions. “I want collective awards more than anything,” he stressed.
“I want to win the Premier League, I want to win the Champions League.” For now, he will have to settle for this solo piece of recognition.
The Nominees Fernandes Beat to 2025–26 Premier League Player of the Season Award
- Gabriel (Arsenal)
- Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest)
- Erling Haaland (Man City)
- David Raya (Arsenal)
- Declan Rice (Arsenal)
- Antoine Semenyo (Bournemouth/Man City)
- Igor Thiago (Brentford)
Every Premier League Player of the Season Award Winner
| Season | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 1994–95 | Alan Shearer | Blackburn Rovers |
| 1995–96 | Peter Schmeichel | Man Utd |
| 1996–97 | Juninho Paulista | Middlesbrough |
| 1997–98 | Michael Owen | Liverpool |
| 1998–99 | Dwight Yorke | Man Utd |
| 1999–00 | Kevin Phillips | Sunderland |
| 2000–01 | Patrick Vieira | Arsenal |
| 2001–02 | Freddie Ljungberg | Arsenal |
| 2002–03 | Ruud van Nistelrooy | Man Utd |
| 2003–04 | Thierry Henry | Arsenal |
| 2004–05 | Frank Lampard | Chelsea |
| 2005–06 | Thierry Henry | Arsenal |
| 2006–07 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Man Utd |
| 2007–08 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Man Utd |
| 2008–09 | Nemanja Vidić | Man Utd |
| 2009–10 | Wayne Rooney | Man Utd |
| 2010–11 | Nemanja Vidić | Man Utd |
| 2011–12 | Vincent Kompany | Man City |
| 2012–13 | Gareth Bale | Tottenham |
| 2013–14 | Luis Suárez | Liverpool |
| 2014–15 | Eden Hazard | Chelsea |
| 2015–16 | Jamie Vardy | Leicester |
| 2016–17 | N’Golo Kanté | Chelsea |
| 2017–18 | Mohamed Salah | Liverpool |
| 2018–19 | Virgil van Dijk | Liverpool |
| 2019–20 | Kevin De Bruyne | Man City |
| 2020–21 | Rúben Dias | Man City |
| 2021–22 | Kevin De Bruyne | Man City |
| 2022–23 | Erling Haaland | Man City |
| 2023–24 | Phil Foden | Man City |
| 2024–25 | Mohamed Salah | Liverpool |
| 2025–26 | Bruno Fernandes | Man Utd |
The influence of the fan vote when deciding this award is evident from the somewhat eclectic list of winners. Sprinkled between the familiar legendary figures are a series of undoubtedly talented players whose individual brilliance was separated from their team’s collective performance.
The 1996–97 winner, Juninho Paulista, stands out as an obvious example. Middlesbrough were relegated in the same season the diminutive Brazilian beguiled English soccer. Tip-toeing around the towering figures that dominated the defenses of the Premier League in the 1990s, Juninho made a mockery of his physical disadvantages, directly contributing to 20 goals (12 scored, eight created) for a side which slumped to 19th in the table.
Kevin Phillips also claimed the individual award in 1999–00 despite finishing seventh. However, for a Sunderland side fresh from promotion, that represented a remarkable position, which was underpinned by the ruthless finishing of their frontman. Phillips rattled in an outrageous 30 Premier League goals for the Black Cats, claiming the European Golden Shoe as the continent’s most prolific player one year after scoring against the likes of Stockport County, Grimsby Town and Tranmere Rovers.
That’s not to say that this is a strictly alternative award. Manchester United used to dominate this particular accolade while they were racking up league titles under Sir Alex Ferguson. From 2006–11, five straight awards went to those who called Old Trafford home. However, Vidić’s gong 15 years ago was the most recent until Fernandes rose to the fore this term.
Most recently, this prize has been the domain of the Premier League’s two most dominate sides of the modern era; Liverpool and Manchester City. N’Golo Kanté in 2016–17 was the last player from outside that duopoly to claim the award.
Most Frequent Premier League Player of the Season Winners
| Player | Club | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| Thierry Henry | Arsenal | 2003–04, 2005–06 |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Man Utd | 2006–07, 2007–08 |
| Nemanja Vidić | Man Utd | 2008–09, 2010–11 |
| Kevin De Bruyne | Man City | 2019–20, 2021–22 |
| Mohamed Salah | Liverpool | 2017–18, 2024–25 |
Only five players in the three decades of the award’s existence have claimed it more than once—and no one has completed a hat-trick of titles. Fernandes’s former Manchester United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo is the only member of this illustrious quintet to ever win the prize in consecutive seasons, dominating the Premier League and global soccer between 2006–08.
Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah have amassed four of the last eight honors between them as the standout players for Manchester City and Liverpool over this modern era of triumph.
Now it is Fernandes’s challenge to not only extend his own individual success, but the collective fortunes of Manchester United.
