FWA Footballer of the Year

Annual award

This article is about the men's award. For the women's award, see FWA Women's Footballer of the Year.

FWA Footballer of the Year

Mohamed Salah won the award in 2025.

Sport| Association football
Competition| All levels of English football
Country| England and Wales
Presented by| FWA
History
First award| 1947–48
Editions| 77
First winner|  Stanley Matthews
Most wins|  Mohamed Salah
Thierry Henry (3 awards each)
Most recent|  Mohamed Salah
Website| footballwriters.co.uk/awards

The Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year (often called the FWA Footballer of the Year, or in England simply the Footballer of the Year) is an annual award given to the player who is adjudged to have been the best of the season in English football.[1] The award has been presented since the 1947–48 season, with the inaugural winner being Blackpool winger Stanley Matthews. The latest winner of the award as of 2024–25 is Mohamed Salah of Liverpool. Nine players have won the award on more than one occasion, with Thierry Henry and Mohamed Salah having won the award on the most occasions, with three wins each.

The winner is selected by a vote amongst the members of the Football Writers' Association (FWA), which comprises around 400 football journalists based throughout England.[2] The award was instigated at the suggestion of Charles Buchan, a former professional footballer turned journalist and one of the Association's founders.[3]

## Winners

[edit]

The award has been presented on 77 occasions as of 2025, to 68 players. On one occasion two players shared the award for a season.[4] The table also indicates where the winning player also won one or more of the other major "player of the year" awards in English football, namely the Professional Footballers' Association's Players' Player of the Year award (PPY),[5][6][7] Fans' Player of the Year award (FPY),[8] the Young Player of the Year award (YPY),[6][7][9] the Premier League Player of the Season award (PPS),[10] the Premier League Young Player of the Season award (PYPS),[10] and the Football Supporters' Association Player of the Year (FSA).[11][12]

Neville Southall's 1985 win was the last time a goalkeeper received the award. Dennis Bergkamp won the award in the 1997–98 season. Thierry Henry was the first player to win the award in two consecutive seasons. Cristiano Ronaldo also won the award consecutively, in the 2006–07 and 2007–08 seasons. Steven Gerrard won the award in 2009, becoming the first Liverpool player to do so for nineteen years. Winners of the FWA Footballer of the Year  Year  |  | Player | Club | Also won | Notes

|
|
|
|
|

1947–48 |  | Stanley Matthews | Blackpool |  |
1948–49 |  | Johnny Carey | Manchester United |  | [13]
1949–50 |  | Joe Mercer | Arsenal |  |
1950–51 |  | Harry Johnston | Blackpool |  |
1951–52 |  | Billy Wright | Wolverhampton Wanderers |  |
1952–53 |  | Nat Lofthouse | Bolton Wanderers |  |
1953–54 |  | Tom Finney | Preston North End |  |
1954–55 |  | Don Revie | Manchester City |  |
1955–56 |  | Bert Trautmann | Manchester City |  |
1956–57 |  | Tom Finney (2) | Preston North End |  | [14]
1957–58 |  | Danny Blanchflower | Tottenham Hotspur |  |
1958–59 |  | Syd Owen | Luton Town |  |
1959–60 |  | Bill Slater | Wolverhampton Wanderers |  |
1960–61 |  | Danny Blanchflower (2) | Tottenham Hotspur |  |
1961–62 |  | Jimmy Adamson | Burnley |  |
1962–63 |  | Stanley Matthews (2) | Stoke City |  | [15]
1963–64 |  | Bobby Moore | West Ham United |  |
1964–65 |  | Bobby Collins | Leeds United |  |
1965–66 |  | Bobby Charlton | Manchester United |  |
1966–67 |  | Jack Charlton | Leeds United |  |
1967–68 |  | George Best | Manchester United |  |
1968–69 |
| Tony Book
Dave Mackay | Manchester City
Derby County |  |
1969–70 |  | Billy Bremner | Leeds United |  |
1970–71 |  | Frank McLintock | Arsenal |  |
1971–72 |  | Gordon Banks | Stoke City |  |
1972–73 |  | Pat Jennings | Tottenham Hotspur |  | [16]
1973–74 |  | Ian Callaghan | Liverpool |  |
1974–75 |  | Alan Mullery | Fulham |  |
1975–76 |  | Kevin Keegan | Liverpool |  |
1976–77 |  | Emlyn Hughes | Liverpool |  |
1977–78 |  | Kenny Burns | Nottingham Forest |  |
1978–79 |  | Kenny Dalglish | Liverpool |  |
1979–80 |  | Terry McDermott | Liverpool | PPY | [17]
1980–81 |  | Frans Thijssen | Ipswich Town |  |
1981–82 |  | Steve Perryman | Tottenham Hotspur |  |
1982–83 |  | Kenny Dalglish (2) | Liverpool | PPY |
1983–84 |  | Ian Rush | Liverpool | PPY |
1984–85 |  | Neville Southall | Everton |  |
1985–86 |  | Gary Lineker | Everton | PPY |
1986–87 |  | Clive Allen | Tottenham Hotspur | PPY |
1987–88 |  | John Barnes | Liverpool | PPY |
1988–89 |  | Steve Nicol | Liverpool |  |
1989–90 |  | John Barnes (2) | Liverpool |  |
1990–91 |  | Gordon Strachan | Leeds United |  |
1991–92 |  | Gary Lineker (2) | Tottenham Hotspur |  |
1992–93 |  | Chris Waddle | Sheffield Wednesday |  |
1993–94 |  | Alan Shearer | Blackburn Rovers |  |
1994–95 |  | Jürgen Klinsmann | Tottenham Hotspur |  |
1995–96 |  | Eric Cantona | Manchester United |  |
1996–97 |  | Gianfranco Zola | Chelsea |  |
1997–98 |  | Dennis Bergkamp | Arsenal | PPY |
1998–99 |  | David Ginola | Tottenham Hotspur | PPY |
1999–2000 |  | Roy Keane | Manchester United | PPY |
2000–01 |  | Teddy Sheringham | Manchester United | PPY |
2001–02 |  | Robert Pires | Arsenal |  |
2002–03 |  | Thierry Henry | Arsenal | PPY, FPY |
2003–04 |  | Thierry Henry (2) | Arsenal | PPY, FPY, PPS | [18]
2004–05 |  | Frank Lampard | Chelsea | FPY, PPS | [19]
2005–06 |  | Thierry Henry (3) | Arsenal | PPS | [20]
2006–07 |  | Cristiano Ronaldo | Manchester United | PPY, FPY, YPY, PPS | [21]
2007–08 |  | Cristiano Ronaldo (2) | Manchester United | PPY, FPY, PPS |
2008–09 |  | Steven Gerrard | Liverpool | FPY | [22]
2009–10 |  | Wayne Rooney | Manchester United | PPY, FPY, PPS | [23]
2010–11 |  | Scott Parker | West Ham United |  | [24]
2011–12 |  | Robin van Persie | Arsenal | PPY, FPY | [25]
2012–13 |  | Gareth Bale | Tottenham Hotspur | PPY, YPY, PPS | [26]
2013–14 |  | Luis Suárez | Liverpool | PPY, FPY, PPS, FSA | [11]
2014–15 |  | Eden Hazard | Chelsea | PPY, PPS | [27]
2015–16 |  | Jamie Vardy | Leicester City | PPS | [28]
2016–17 |  | N'Golo Kanté | Chelsea | PPY, PPS | [29]
2017–18 |  | Mohamed Salah | Liverpool | PPY, FPY, PPS, FSA | [30]
2018–19 |  | Raheem Sterling | Manchester City | YPY | [31]
2019–20 |  | Jordan Henderson | Liverpool |  | [32]
2020–21 |  | Rúben Dias | Manchester City | PPS | [33]
2021–22 |  | Mohamed Salah (2) | Liverpool | PPY, FPY | [34]
2022–23 |  | Erling Haaland | Manchester City | PPY, PPS, PYPS | [35]
2023–24 |  | Phil Foden | Manchester City | PPY, PPS | [36]
2024–25 |  | Mohamed Salah (3) | Liverpool | PPS | [37]

## Breakdown of winners

[edit]

### By country

[edit]

The trophy awarded to the Footballer of the Year from 2015 onwards Winners of the FWA Footballer of the Year by country  Country | Number of wins | Winning years

|
|

England |

| 1947–48, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1952–53, 1953–54, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1968–69‡, 1971–72, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 2000–01, 2004–05, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2015–16, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2023-24
Scotland |

| 1964–65, 1968–69‡, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1982–83, 1988–89, 1990–91
France |

| 1995–96, 1998–99, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2016–17
Northern Ireland |

| 1957–58, 1960–61, 1967–68, 1972–73
Netherlands |

| 1980–81, 1997–98, 2011–12
Wales |

| 1983–84, 1984–85, 2012–13
Portugal |

| 2006–07, 2007–08, 2020–21
Egypt |

| 2017–18, 2021–22, 2024–25
West Germany /  Germany |

| 1955–56, 1994–95
Republic of Ireland |

| 1948–49, 1999–2000
Italy |

| 1996–97
Uruguay |

| 2013–14
Belgium |

| 2014–15
Norway |

| 2022–23

‡ — two winners

### Winners by club

[edit]

Winners of the FWA Footballer of the Year by club  Club | Number of wins | Winning years

|
|

Liverpool |

| 1973–74, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 2008–09, 2013–14, 2017–18, 2019–20, 2021–22, 2024–25
Tottenham Hotspur |

| 1957–58, 1960–61, 1972–73, 1981–82, 1986–87, 1991–92, 1994–95, 1998–99, 2012–13
Manchester United |

| 1948–49, 1965–66, 1967–68, 1995–96, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2009–10
Arsenal |

| 1949–50, 1970–71, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2011–12
Manchester City |

| 1954–55, 1955–56, 1968–69‡, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2022–23, 2023-24
Leeds United |

| 1964–65, 1966–67, 1969–70, 1990–91
Chelsea |

| 1996–97, 2004–05, 2014–15, 2016–17
Everton |

| 1984–85, 1985–86
Stoke City |

| 1962–63, 1971–72
Wolverhampton Wanderers |

| 1951–52, 1959–60
Preston North End |

| 1953–54, 1956–57
Blackpool |

| 1947–48, 1950–51
West Ham United |

| 1963–64, 2010–11
Leicester City |

| 2015–16
Blackburn Rovers |

| 1993–94
Sheffield Wednesday |

| 1992–93
Ipswich Town |

| 1980–81
Nottingham Forest |

| 1977–78
Fulham |

| 1974–75
Derby County |

| 1968–69‡
Burnley |

| 1961–62
Luton Town |

| 1958–59
Bolton Wanderers |

| 1952–53

## See also

[edit]

* Premier League Player of the Season
* PFA Players' Player of the Year
* SPFA Players' Player of the Year
* SFWA Footballer of the Year
* PFAI Players' Player of the Year

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "England Player Honours – Football Writers' Association Footballers of the Year". England Football Online. 19 June 2007. Archived from the original on 7 August 2011. Retrieved 17 March 2008.
2. ^ "About the FWA". Football Writers' Association. Archived from the original on 8 April 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
3. ^ "FWA Footballer of the Year Award". Football Writers' Association. Archived from the original on 19 September 2008. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
4. ^ "England – Players Awards". RSSSF. 4 October 2007. Archived from the original on 16 November 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
5. ^ "Only here for the peers". BBC Sport. 20 April 2001. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
6. ^ a b "Gerrard named player of the year". BBC Sport. 23 April 2006. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
7. ^ a b "Ronaldo secures PFA awards double". BBC Sport. 22 April 2007. Archived from the original on 14 April 2008. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
8. ^ "PFA's Official Fan's Player of the Year: Previous Winners". The Professional Footballers' Association. Archived from the original on 20 February 2008. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
9. ^ Frank Keogh (20 April 2001). "Too much too young?". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 9 July 2003. Retrieved 17 March 2008.
10. ^ a b "Premier League Awards, All Time Awards". Premier League.com. Archived from the original on 29 July 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
11. ^ a b "Luis Suárez wins Football Writers' Association Player of the Year award". The Guardian. 5 May 2014. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
12. ^ "Winners: FSF Awards in association with William Hill". Football Supporters' Association. 17 December 2013. Archived from the original on 5 February 2024. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
13. ^ First winner of the award from outside the United Kingdom.
14. ^ First player to win the award twice.
15. ^ First player to win the award with two clubs.
16. ^ Also won the PFA Players' Player of the Year award in 1976 to become the first player to win both awards.
17. ^ First player to win both PFA and FWA awards in the same season.
18. ^ First player to win the award in two consecutive seasons.
19. ^ "Lampard scoops award from writers". BBC Sport. 6 May 2005. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 5 December 2011.
20. ^ First player to win the award three times.
21. ^ First player to win five awards in the same season.
22. ^ "Steven Gerrard wins Footballer of the Year award". The Times. London. 13 May 2009. Archived from the original on 16 May 2009. Retrieved 13 May 2009.
23. ^ "Wayne Rooney nets writers' player of the year award". BBC Sport. 30 April 2010. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
24. ^ "West Ham's Scott Parker wins Football Writers' award". BBC Sport. 22 April 2011. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
25. ^ "Arsenal's Robin van Persie named FWA Footballer of the Year". BBC Sport. 24 April 2012. Archived from the original on 8 January 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
26. ^ "Bale named FWA Footballer of the Year". Football Writers' Association. 2 May 2013. Archived from the original on 4 May 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
27. ^ "Eden Hazard wins Football Writers' Association Player of the Year award". Sky Sports. 12 May 2015. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2015.
28. ^ "Jamie Vardy named Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year 2015/16". Sky Sports. 2 May 2016. Archived from the original on 16 September 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
29. ^ "N'Golo Kante wins Football Writers' Association award". BBC Sport. 8 May 2017. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
30. ^ "Mohamed Salah named writers' Footballer of the Year". BBC Sport. 1 May 2018. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
31. ^ "Virgil van Dijk and Vivianne Miedema win PFA Player of the Year awards". BBC Sport. 29 April 2019. Archived from the original on 26 May 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
32. ^ "Jordan Henderson wins football writers' award". Daily Mirror. 24 July 2020. Archived from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
33. ^ "Ruben Dias: Manchester City Defender named FWA Footballer of the Year". Sky Sports. 20 May 2021. Archived from the original on 20 May 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
34. ^ "Mohamed Salah named Football Writers' Association Men's Footballer of the Year for 2021/22". Sky Sports. 29 April 2022. Archived from the original on 29 April 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
35. ^ "Erling Haaland named Football Writers' Association Men's Footballer of the Year for 2022/23 | Chelsea's Sam Kerr wins Women's award". Sky Sports. 12 May 2023. Archived from the original on 12 May 2023. Retrieved 12 May 2023.
36. ^ "Phil Foden named Football Writers' Association Men's Footballer of the Year for 2023/24 |". Sky Sports. 3 May 2024. Archived from the original on 3 May 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
37. ^ "FWA Footballer of the Year 2024/25: Mohamed Salah wins top men's gong as Alessia Russo claims women's award". Sky Sports. 9 May 2025. Retrieved 9 May 2025.

## External links

[edit]

* Football Writers' Association Archived 17 February 2024 at the Wayback Machine

* v
* t
* e

FWA Footballer of the Year

* 1948: Matthews
* 1949: Carey
* 1950: Mercer
* 1951: Johnston
* 1952: Wright
* 1953: Lofthouse
* 1954: Finney
* 1955: Revie
* 1956: Trautmann
* 1957: Finney
* 1958: Blanchflower
* 1959: Owen
* 1960: Slater
* 1961: Blanchflower
* 1962: Adamson
* 1963: Matthews
* 1964: Moore
* 1965: Collins
* 1966: B. Charlton
* 1967: J. Charlton
* 1968: Best
* 1969: Book & Mackay
* 1970: Bremner
* 1971: McLintock
* 1972: Banks
* 1973: Jennings
* 1974: Callaghan
* 1975: Mullery
* 1976: Keegan
* 1977: Hughes
* 1978: Burns
* 1979: Dalglish
* 1980: McDermott
* 1981: Thijssen
* 1982: Perryman
* 1983: Dalglish
* 1984: Rush
* 1985: Southall
* 1986: Lineker
* 1987: Allen
* 1988: Barnes
* 1989: Nicol
* 1990: Barnes
* 1991: Strachan
* 1992: Lineker
* 1993: Waddle
* 1994: Shearer
* 1995: Klinsmann
* 1996: Cantona
* 1997: Zola
* 1998: Bergkamp
* 1999: Ginola
* 2000: Keane
* 2001: Sheringham
* 2002: Pires
* 2003: Henry
* 2004: Henry
* 2005: Lampard
* 2006: Henry
* 2007: Ronaldo
* 2008: Ronaldo
* 2009: Gerrard
* 2010: Rooney
* 2011: Parker
* 2012: Van Persie
* 2013: Bale
* 2014: Suárez
* 2015: Hazard
* 2016: Vardy
* 2017: Kanté
* 2018: Salah
* 2019: Sterling
* 2020: Henderson
* 2021: Dias
* 2022: Salah
* 2023: Haaland
* 2024: Foden
* 2025: Salah

* v
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National Men's Footballer of the Year award

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