Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes and Manchester City’s Khadija "Bunny" Shaw have been voted the 2025/26 Football Writers' Association Footballers of the Year. Fernandes’ 19 assists and eight goals place him just one behind the top‑flight record, while Shaw’s 19 goals in 21 WSL matches helped City win their first title in a decade.

Fernandes becomes the first Old Trafford player to win since Wayne Rooney in 2009/10, joining a lineage that includes Ronaldo, Sheringham, and Cantona. With 120 chances created this season, he tops the league’s all‑time assist chart and has guided United back to the Champions League. Shaw, now 29, has scored 110 goals for City since 2021 and is poised to claim a third consecutive WSL Golden Boot.

Shaw’s contract expires this summer, and interest from clubs such as Chelsea and teams in the US has already surfaced. Despite the title, she seeks new challenges, reflecting the fluid nature of player movement in the modern game.

Both players’ awards underscore their dominance and the shifting balance of power in English football, cementing their status as pivotal figures for their clubs and the league.