PFA Young Player of the Year

Last updated

PFA Young Player of the Year
Bukayo Saka.jpg
2023 winner Bukayo Saka
Sport Association football
CompetitionAll levels of English football
Country England and Wales
Presented by PFA
History
First award1973–74
Editions50
First winner Flag of England.svg Kevin Beattie
Most recent Flag of England.svg Bukayo Saka (2023)
Website Official website

The Professional Footballers' Association Young Player of the Year (often called the PFA Young Player of the Year, or simply the Young Player of the Year) is an annual award given to the young player who is adjudged to have been the best of the season in English football. As of 2021, players must have been aged 21 or under as of 1 July immediately preceding the start of the season; [1] in the past the age limit has been 23, which led to criticism in the media over whether a player who was 24 years old at the end of the season could really be considered "young" in footballing terms. [2] [3] The award has been presented since the 1973–74 season and the winner is chosen by a vote amongst the members of the players' trade union, the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA). The first winner of the award was Ipswich Town defender Kevin Beattie. The current holder is Arsenal player Bukayo Saka, who won the award on 29 August 2023. [4]

Contents

Although the award is open to players at all levels, [2] all winners to date have played in the highest division of the English football league system. In 2018 Ryan Sessegnon of Fulham became the first player from outside the top division of English football to be nominated for the award. [5] As of 2023, only Ryan Giggs, Robbie Fowler, Wayne Rooney, Dele Alli and Phil Foden have won the award on more than one occasion. Only seven players from outside the United Kingdom have won the trophy, [6] compared with fifteen winners of the main PFA Players' Player of the Year award. Although they have their own dedicated award, players aged 21 or under at the start of the season remain eligible to win the Players' Player of the Year award, and on three occasions the same player has won both awards for a season.

A shortlist of nominees is published in April and the winner of the award, along with the winners of the PFA's other annual awards, is announced at a gala event in London. [7] The players themselves consider the award to be highly prestigious, because the winner is chosen by his fellow professionals. [8]

Winners

The award has been presented on 50 occasions as of 2023, to 45 players. [9] [10] [11] 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 PFA Players' Player of the Year award (PPY), [10] [11] [12] the Football Writers' Association's Footballer of the Year award (FWA), [13] the Premier League Player of the Season award (PPS), [14] the Premier League Young Player of the Season award (PYPS), and the PFA Fans' Player of the Year award (FPY). [15]

Ryan Giggs was the first player to win the award twice. Cskamu 17.jpg
Ryan Giggs was the first player to win the award twice.
Robbie Fowler was the second two-time winner. Fowler, Robbie.jpg
Robbie Fowler was the second two-time winner.
Steven Gerrard was the first player to win the Fans' Player of the Year award in the same season Steven Gerrard in 2014.jpg
Steven Gerrard was the first player to win the Fans' Player of the Year award in the same season
Wayne Rooney was the third player to win the award in two consecutive seasons. Wayne Rooney 2.jpg
Wayne Rooney was the third player to win the award in two consecutive seasons.
Winners of the PFA Young Player of the Year
YearNat.PlayerClubAlso wonNotes
1973–74 Flag of England.svg Kevin Beattie Ipswich Town
1974–75 Flag of England.svg Mervyn Day West Ham United [16]
1975–76 Flag of England.svg Peter Barnes Manchester City
1976–77 Flag of Scotland.svg Andy Gray Aston Villa PPY [17]
1977–78 Flag of England.svg Tony Woodcock Nottingham Forest
1978–79 Flag of England.svg Cyrille Regis West Bromwich Albion [18]
1979–80 Flag of England.svg Glenn Hoddle Tottenham Hotspur
1980–81 Flag of England.svg Gary Shaw Aston Villa
1981–82 Flag of England.svg Steve Moran Southampton
1982–83 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Ian Rush Liverpool
1983–84 Flag of England.svg Paul Walsh Luton Town
1984–85 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Mark Hughes Manchester United
1985–86 Flag of England.svg Tony Cottee West Ham United
1986–87 Flag of England.svg Tony Adams Arsenal
1987–88 Flag of England.svg Paul Gascoigne Newcastle United
1988–89 Flag of England.svg Paul Merson Arsenal
1989–90 Flag of England.svg Matthew Le Tissier Southampton
1990–91 Flag of England.svg Lee Sharpe Manchester United
1991–92 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Ryan Giggs Manchester United
1992–93 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Ryan Giggs (2) Manchester United [19]
1993–94 Flag of England.svg Andy Cole Newcastle United
1994–95 Flag of England.svg Robbie Fowler Liverpool
1995–96 Flag of England.svg Robbie Fowler (2) Liverpool
1996–97 Flag of England.svg David Beckham Manchester United
1997–98 Flag of England.svg Michael Owen Liverpool PPS
1998–99 Flag of France.svg Nicolas Anelka Arsenal [20]
1999–2000 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Harry Kewell Leeds United [21]
2000–01 Flag of England.svg Steven Gerrard Liverpool FPY [22]
2001–02 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Craig Bellamy Newcastle United [23]
2002–03 Flag of England.svg Jermaine Jenas Newcastle United [24]
2003–04 Flag of England.svg Scott Parker Charlton Athletic
Chelsea 		[25]
2004–05 Flag of England.svg Wayne Rooney Manchester United [8]
2005–06 Flag of England.svg Wayne Rooney (2) Manchester United FPY [10]
2006–07 Flag of Portugal.svg Cristiano Ronaldo Manchester United PPY, FWA, FPY, PPS [26] [27]
2007–08 Flag of Spain.svg Cesc Fàbregas Arsenal [28]
2008–09 Flag of England.svg Ashley Young Aston Villa [29]
2009–10 Flag of England.svg James Milner Aston Villa [30]
2010–11 Flag of England.svg Jack Wilshere Arsenal [31]
2011–12 Flag of England.svg Kyle Walker Tottenham Hotspur [32]
2012–13 Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Gareth Bale Tottenham Hotspur PPY, FWA, PPS
2013–14 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Eden Hazard Chelsea [33]
2014–15 Flag of England.svg Harry Kane Tottenham Hotspur [34]
2015–16 Flag of England.svg Dele Alli Tottenham Hotspur [35]
2016–17 Flag of England.svg Dele Alli (2) Tottenham Hotspur [36]
2017–18 Flag of Germany.svg Leroy Sané Manchester City [37]
2018–19 Flag of England.svg Raheem Sterling Manchester City FWA [38]
2019–20 Flag of England.svg Trent Alexander-Arnold Liverpool PYPS [39]
2020–21 Flag of England.svg Phil Foden Manchester City PYPS [40]
2021–22 Flag of England.svg Phil Foden (2) Manchester City PYPS [41]
2022–23 Flag of England.svg Bukayo Saka Arsenal [4]

Breakdown of winners

By country

Winners of the PFA Young Player of the Year by country
CountryNumber of winsWinning years
Flag of England.svg England
37
 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Wales
6
 1982–83, 1984–85, 1991–92, 1992–93, 2001–02, 2012–13
Flag of Scotland.svg Scotland
1
 1976–77
Flag of France.svg France
1
 1998–99
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia
1
 1999–2000
Flag of Portugal.svg Portugal
1
 2006–07
Flag of Spain.svg Spain
1
 2007–08
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium
1
 2013–14
Flag of Germany.svg Germany
1
 2017–18

By club

Winners of the PFA Young Player of the Year by club
ClubNumber of winsWinning years
Manchester United
8
 1984–85, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1996–97, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07
Tottenham Hotspur
6
 1979–80, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17
Liverpool
6
 1982–83, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1997–98, 2000–01, 2019–20
Arsenal
6
 1986–87, 1988–89, 1998–99, 2007–08, 2010–11, 2022–23
Manchester City
5
 1975–76, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22
Aston Villa
4
 1976–77, 1980–81, 2008–09, 2009–10
Newcastle United
4
 1987–88, 1993–94, 2001–02, 2002–03
West Ham United
2
 1974–75, 1985–86
Southampton
2
 1981–82, 1989–90
Chelsea
2
 2003–04, 2013–14
Ipswich Town
1
 1973–74
Nottingham Forest
1
 1977–78
West Bromwich Albion
1
 1978–79
Luton Town
1
 1983–84
Leeds United
1
 1999–2000
Charlton Athletic
1
 2003–04

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References

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  2. 1 2 "England Player Honours – Professional Footballers' Association Young Players of the Year". England Football Online. 19 June 2007. Retrieved 15 March 2008.
  3. ↑ Dimond, Alex (17 April 2015). "Power Ranking the PFA Young Player of the Year Shortlist". Bleacher Report . Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  4. 1 2 "Bukayo Saka PFA Young Player of the Year 2023". Professional Footballers' Association. 29 August 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
  5. ↑ "De Bruyne, Salah, Kane, De Gea, Sane and Silva nominated for PFA Premier League Player of the Year". Eurosport. 14 April 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  6. ↑ The total of seven includes Cyrille Regis, who was born in French Guiana but represented England at international level.
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  8. 1 2 "Rooney secures young player prize". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 24 April 2005. Retrieved 17 March 2008.
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  11. 1 2 "Ronaldo secures PFA awards double". BBC Sport. 22 April 2007. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
  12. ↑ "Only here for the peers". BBC Sport. 20 April 2001. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
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  14. ↑ "Player of the Season". Premier League . Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  15. ↑ "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.
  16. ↑ Day is the only goalkeeper to have won the award.
  17. ↑ First non-English winner, also first player to win two awards in a single season.
  18. ↑ First winner of the award born outside the United Kingdom, although he went on to become an England international.
  19. ↑ First player to win the award twice, and first to win the award in two consecutive seasons.
  20. ↑ First winner of the award from mainland Europe.
  21. ↑ "Keane claims award double". BBC Sport. 30 April 2000. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  22. ↑ "Sheringham wins second award". BBC Sport. 29 April 2001. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
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  25. ↑ "Henry retains PFA crown". BBC Sport. 25 April 2004. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  26. ↑ First player to win four awards in a single season.
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  28. ↑ "Ronaldo named player of the year". BBC Sport. 27 April 2008. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
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  30. ↑ "Rooney is PFA player of the year". BBC Sport. 25 April 2010. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  31. ↑ "Spurs' Gareth Bale wins PFA player of the year award". BBC Sport. 17 April 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
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  33. ↑ "Luis Suarez: Liverpool striker wins PFA Player of the Year award". BBC Sport. 27 April 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2014.
  34. ↑ "Tottenham striker Harry Kane named PFA Young Player of the Year". Goal.com. 26 April 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  35. ↑ "Riyad Mahrez: Leicester City forward named PFA Player of the Year". BBC Sport. 25 April 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  36. ↑ "Dele Alli named player of the year for second season running". Evening Standard. 23 April 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
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  41. ↑ Sansom, Dan (9 June 2022). "PFA Players' Player of the Year: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah and Chelsea's Sam Kerr win 2022 awards". Sky Sports. Retrieved 9 June 2022.

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