Bruno Fernandes has won the Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year award, taking 45% of the vote from over 900 members. In a season where United have been largely a mess, their captain has been the one consistent thread worth following.
Nineteen assists in the Premier League. One off the all-time record. He's driven United back into the Champions League almost single-handedly, which given what's been happening around him at Old Trafford, is no small feat. Declan Rice and Erling Haaland finished behind him — two players who've had excellent seasons at clubs actually functioning properly. That context matters.
First United winner since Rooney
Fernandes is the first Manchester United player to win this award since Wayne Rooney in 2010. The FWA trophy has been running since 1947, making it the oldest individual award in the game. Rooney's era feels like a different club entirely — because it was. That United won it again now, through a player carrying a broken squad rather than leading a dominant one, says something about how much Fernandes has put in this season.
From a betting standpoint, his underlying numbers — chance creation, progressive carries, assist rate — have consistently made him one of the best value picks for player-of-the-match markets all season. Anyone watching closely knew this award was coming.
Shaw's WSL dominance was just as clear-cut
Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw won the women's equivalent after leading Manchester City to the WSL title — their first in a decade — with 19 goals in just 21 games. She beat Arsenal's Alessia Russo and Chelsea's Lauren James to the award, and it wasn't particularly close in terms of impact.
Shaw also won the award in 2024. Back-to-back FWA honours, and a league title to go with this one. She's been the most reliable goalscorer in the division for two straight seasons now.
- Bruno Fernandes: 19 PL assists in 2024/25, one off the league record
- First Man United FWA winner since Wayne Rooney, 2010
- Khadija Shaw: 19 WSL goals in 21 games, second consecutive FWA women's award
- Man City's first WSL title in 10 years
Two Manchester clubs, two awards, two players who've been impossible to ignore. At least on the individual honours front, it's been a decent season to be a City or United player — depending very much on which squad you're in.
