Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has been named the Premier League Player of the Season following a historic individual campaign. The veteran midfielder claimed the prestigious honor ahead of several title-winning Arsenal stars, while Manchester City’s versatile academy graduate Nico O’Reilly secured the Young Player of the Season award.
Red Devils Skipper Creates History
Fernandes has secured his first career Premier League Player of the Season accolade after guiding United back into the Champions League. The 31-year-old playmaker enjoyed a stunning creative campaign, scoring eight top-flight goals and matching the historical single-season record of 20 assists. By conquering a star-studded shortlist, the Portuguese international became the seventh different Old Trafford representative to claim the award, and the first since Nemanja Vidic in 2011.
Historic Assist Record Matched
The seasoned talisman’s exceptional statistical output saw him emulate legendary top-flight creators Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne by reaching the 20-assist milestone. This latest administrative triumph follows his recent FWA Footballer of the Year coronation. Fernandes captured the individual prize over formidable title-winning Arsenal trio David Raya, Gabriel Magalhaes, and Declan Rice, alongside Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, Antoine Semenyo, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Brentford’s Igor Thiago.
City Prodigy Lands Youth Prize
Meanwhile, City starlet O’Reilly capped off a sensational breakthrough year under Pep Guardiola by winning the Young Player of the Season award. The 21-year-old academy graduate established himself as an indispensable tactical asset, registering 34 senior appearances across multiple positions, including left-back and central midfield. O’Reilly edged out contemporary nominees, including Rayan Cherki, Eli Junior Kroupi, Mateus Fernandes, Lewis Hall, Michael Kayode, Kobbie Mainoo, and Alex Scott.
World Cup Test Looms
O’Reilly must now quickly transition from local domestic success to the highest tier of international football after earning a spot in Thomas Tuchel’s England World Cup squad. The versatile youngster enters the tournament in pristine form following match-winning Wembley displays in both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup finals.
Conversely, Fernandes shifts his focus towards the World Cup and his leading role with Portugal, while Michael Carrick and Manchester United look to take care of business in the transfer window.
2026 FIFA World Cup: How To Watch
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11–July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament matches will air live across FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every match streaming live and on-demand within both the FOX One and the FOX Sports app. A record 40 matches, more than one-third of the tournament, will air in prime time across FOX (21) and FS1 (19).
The opening match on June 11 between Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) will stream for free on Tubi, as well as the USA’s opening match against Paraguay on June 12 (9 p.m. ET).
Reporting by GOAL.
