Mohamed Salah and Mariona Caldentey have been crowned the PFA Players of the Year for 2025, marking a historic achievement for both athletes. The awards, presented at the Manchester Opera House on Tuesday night, recognize their outstanding contributions to their respective teams and the sport as a whole.
Mohamed Salah's victory is particularly noteworthy as it marks his record-breaking third PFA Men's Player of the Year award. The Liverpool star becomes the first player in the award's 51-year history to win the prestigious title three times. Salah previously won the award in the 2017/18 and 2021/22 seasons. The Egyptian King led Liverpool to a Premier League title in the 2024/25 season with 29 goals and 18 assists. His stellar performance saw him beat out other strong contenders, including Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes, Newcastle's Alexander Isak, Chelsea's Cole Palmer, Arsenal's Declan Rice, and his Liverpool teammate Alexis Mac Allister.
Salah's achievement places him above other legendary players who have won the award twice, including Mark Hughes, Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, and Kevin De Bruyne. His consistency and impact on Liverpool's success have solidified his place among the all-time greats of British football. In addition to the PFA Player of the Year award, Salah was also named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year, alongside Liverpool teammates Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Milos Kerkez.
Mariona Caldentey, the Spanish midfielder for Arsenal, has been named the PFA Women's Player of the Year. Caldentey's outstanding debut season in North London saw her recognized by her fellow professionals for the prestigious award. The Spanish international scored 19 goals in all competitions, including eight in the Champions League. She played a key role in Arsenal's Champions League victory over her former club, Barcelona. Caldentey beat out competition from other notable players, including her Arsenal teammate Alessia Russo.
Several other awards were presented at the PFA Awards ceremony. Morgan Rogers of Aston Villa won the PFA Men's Young Player of the Year award. Olivia Smith of Arsenal, who recently made a record-breaking transfer from Liverpool, was named PFA Women's Young Player of the Year. James Trafford of Manchester City was voted Championship Player of the Year. Richard Kone won League One Player of the Year, while Michael Cheek won League Two Player of the Year. Sir Gareth Southgate and Emma Hayes OBE received PFA Merit Awards for their contributions to football.
The PFA Players' Player of the Year awards are voted on by members of the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA), the trade union for professional football players in England. The awards celebrate the best talent in English football and are highly respected by players and fans alike.
