Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has been named the 2026 Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers' Association (FWA), marking a significant achievement in his career. The 31-year-old midfielder narrowly triumphed over Arsenal's Declan Rice, securing 45 percent of the votes from the English football media. This victory makes Fernandes the first Manchester United player to receive the prestigious award since Wayne Rooney in 2010, underscoring his pivotal role in the team.

The voting was remarkably close, with Fernandes beating Rice by a mere 28 votes. Manchester City forward Erling Haaland, who previously won the award in 2023, finished third in the polling. Other notable players from Arsenal, including David Raya, Bukayo Saka, and Gabriel Magalhães, also garnered a significant number of votes, highlighting their impressive seasons. Interestingly, no other Manchester United player received any votes in this year's polling, further emphasizing Fernandes's individual impact.

As the season draws to a close, Portugal international Fernandes stands on the brink of another remarkable record. He enters United's final three Premier League games needing just one assist to equal the league's all-time record of 20 assists in a single season, a feat jointly held by former Arsenal forward Thierry Henry and ex-Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne. Beyond his playmaking abilities, Fernandes has also contributed eight league goals for United this season. His inspirational performances have been crucial in guiding the team to secure Champions League qualification under manager Michael Carrick, following the January dismissal of former head coach Ruben Amorim.

The FWA Footballer of the Year award, established in 1948, aims to recognize a player who, "by precept and example, is considered to be the footballer of the year." Sir Stanley Matthews was the inaugural winner. Fernandes's win brings Manchester United's total awards to ten, placing the club second on the all-time list. This position is only behind Liverpool, who boast sixteen wins, with Mohamed Salah having claimed the award for the third time in 2025. Previous Manchester United recipients include football legends such as Bobby Charlton, Eric Cantona, Roy Keane, and Cristiano Ronaldo.

In the women's category, Manchester City forward Bunny Shaw was overwhelmingly voted the women's Footballer of the Year. Shaw secured a landslide victory after an exceptional season where she scored 19 goals, significantly contributing to City's Women's Super League (WSL) title win. This marks Shaw's second time winning the award, having previously received the honour in 2023. The Jamaica international is currently expected to depart Manchester City once her contract expires this summer, making this victory a notable closing chapter to her time with the club.