Having voted for Bruno Fernandes as Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year, I find the online debate baffling; the accolade clearly went to the most deserving winner.
Manchester United turned things around this season, with a lot of the credit rightly going to Michael Carrick.
Carrick was appointed interim head coach until the end of the season, just two weeks after Ruben Amorim was dismissed. He’s managed to secure Champions League football, and United are on course to finish third in the Premier League – 12 months after finishing 15th and losing the Europa League final to Tottenham.
Perhaps one of Carrick’s biggest decisions was switching Bruno Fernandes from a deeper midfield position to his preferred No 10 role. It was rocket science, but it has helped the Portuguese midfield ace to get the recognition he deserves as the best player in the Premier League.
CONGRATULATIONS to Bruno Fernandes – The 2025/26 Football Writers Award Player of the Year… let us know your REACTION!
Can you name the last Man Utd player to win this specific award?
Bruno Fernandes deserves the award over Declan Rice and Erling Haaland
Firstly, let me congratulate Fernandes on winning the FWA Footballer of the Year award.
Fernandes finished with 45% of the votes from over 900 FWA members. Arsenal’s Declan Rice came second, while Man City’s Erling Haaland finished third.
In all my years as a member of the Football Writers’ Association, I have never found it easier to cast a vote for the Footballer of the Year.
Fernandes has been superb in a tough season for United, scoring eight goals and registering 19 assists in the Premier League. He has been transformative in United’s upturn in form under Carrick since January and carried out his role before that – in a deep position alongside Casemiro – to the best of his ability, remaining United’s most influential player.
The Portugal international has performed at a high level throughout the season, and he deserves wider recognition. That is why I find the uproar over Fernandes’ accolade baffling, but it mostly stems from Arsenal fans, whom I was keen to inform that Bernardo Silva was a better candidate for runners-up to Fernandes than Rice.
Many cannot fathom how a player from a team not winning anything this season could scoop the award, but this is not a trophy for the best team this season. Scott Parker won the FWA Footballer of the Year award in 2011 when he was part of a West Ham side that was relegated from the Premier League.
Individually, Fernandes has been on a higher level than Rice and Haaland this season, which takes nothing away from what the duo have done for their teams.
One argument for Rice was that he’s won more games this season than Fernandes has played. Using that logic, so has Viktor Gyokeres – and even the most biased Arsenal fan wouldn’t argue that their striker has been a better player than Fernandes.
Fernandes has comfortably been the best player and deserves to win the Premier League Player of the Year award next. He’s also on course to equal a record set by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne for 20 assists in a single Premier League campaign.
Bruno Fernandes gets another assist – the record is almost his!
Do you think he could get two in the next game vs Liverpool?!
Who was the last Man Utd player to win the FWA Player of the Year award?
Wayne Rooney was the last United player to win the award in 2010.
It was arguably Rooney’s best season in a United shirt.
Other United players who won the award include Cristiano Ronaldo, Teddy Sheringham, Roy Keane, Eric Cantona, George Best, Sir Bobby Charlton, and Johnny Carey.
Hopefully, once the season is over, United can ensure Fernandes stays at Old Trafford. His loss would be a huge blow as the team looks to compete in the Champions League next season.
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
