From Bruno Fernandes to N’golo Kanté, past winners of Football Writers’ Association award

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For decades, the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award has been one of English football’s quiet markers of greatness, a judgement not made by managers or players, but by journalists who watch the game week after week, season after season, noticing not just brilliance, but consistency, influence, and moments that shift entire campaigns.

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In the most recent era, the story of the award reads almost like a chronicle of Premier League dominance cycles.

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According to a post obtained from the Football Writers Association awards page on Saturday, these are the past winners in the last decade

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10 N’Golo Kanté (2016–17)

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It begins with N’Golo Kanté, a player who seemed to cover every blade of grass at Chelsea, redefining what midfield control looked like. His season wasn’t just about tackles or interceptions—it was about making elite football look simple, almost inevitable.

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9. Mohamed Salah (2017–18).

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Arriving at Liverpool, he didn’t just adapt—he exploded. Goals came in waves, records fell almost weekly, and a player once considered inconsistent elsewhere became the league’s most relentless finisher.

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8. Virgil van Dijk (2018–19)

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Defenders rarely dominate these awards, but van Dijk made defending feel like orchestration. Liverpool’s back line stopped being a weakness and became the foundation of European and domestic dominance.

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7. Jordan Henderson (2019–20)

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The rhythm continued into a captain whose influence was not always measured in statistics, but in leadership through Liverpool’s long-awaited Premier League triumph. That season was defined by control, maturity, and emotional weight.

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6. Rúben Dias (2020–21)

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At Manchester City, he arrived and immediately reorganised their defence, bringing authority and calm to a team already overflowing with talent. His presence turned excellence into inevitability.

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5. Mohamed Salah (2021–22)

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The narrative then swung back to familiar brilliance: Salah returning to the summit with another season of extraordinary output, reaffirming his place among the Premier League’s most decisive attackers.

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4. Erling Haaland (2022–23)

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In 2022–23, Erling Haaland arrived like a force of nature. His debut season at Manchester City wasn’t just successful—it bent statistical reality. Goal records that had stood for years disappeared within months, and the league adapted around him.

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3. Phil Foden (2023–24)

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The following year, Phil Foden (2023–24) became the symbol of evolution at Manchester City. Once a prodigy in the background, he stepped forward as a central figure, blending technical precision with growing authority in decisive matches.

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2. Mohamed Salah (2024–25)

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Mohamed Salah returned yet again, a rare repeat winner across different eras of Liverpool squads, showing longevity at a level few attackers maintain in modern football.

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1. Bruno Fernandes (2025–26)

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And most recently, 2025–26 brought Bruno Fernandes, whose influence at Manchester United reflected a season where creativity, leadership, and responsibility converged. In a team often in transition, he stood out as the constant driving force.

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