Arsenal’s Declan Rice named BBC Sport’s 2025-26 Player of the Year

Arsenal’s Declan Rice has been crowned BBC Sport’s Player of the Season for 2025-26, capping a year in which his midfield dominance and set-piece brilliance delivered the Gunners their first top-flight title since 2004. Rice’s ability to dictate tempo, break lines under pressure, and convert crucial dead-ball situations made him the standout performer in a Premier League season defined by tactical nuance and physicality.

The 27-year-old England international narrowly edged out Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes, who set a new single-season assists record with 18, while Brentford’s Igor Thiago rounded out the top three with 22 goals. But it was Rice’s all-round contribution—3 goals, 21 assists, and a defensive shield that allowed Arsenal’s frontline to flourish—that secured his victory in a poll of BBC Sport’s expert panel.

In the Women’s Super League, Manchester City’s Khadija Shaw claimed the Player of the Season award with 21 goals and four assists in 22 appearances, a performance so dominant it drew more than 80% of the vote. Shaw’s contract renewal with the champions further cemented her status as one of the division’s most lethal strikers.

Mikel Arteta, now in his fifth season at Arsenal, was named Manager of the Season in the men’s top flight after steering the Gunners to the Premier League title and a Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain. Arteta’s man-management and tactical flexibility outshone Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola and Brentford’s Keith Andrews, who finished second and third respectively.

In Scotland, Hearts’ Claudio Braga was named Premiership Player of the Season after scoring 14 goals and providing three assists in the Jambos’ near-miss title challenge. Braga’s tenacity and link-up play kept Hearts in the hunt until the final day, though Celtic’s fifth consecutive title meant the wait for a non-Old Firm champion continues at 41 years.

Fulham’s Harrison Reed claimed the Premier League Goal of the Season for a 25-yard strike against Liverpool that leveled the match in stoppage time, a moment so audacious it drew comparisons to Steven Gerrard’s 2006 Anfield masterpiece. Reed’s volley, which curled into the top corner past a fully extended Alisson, beat teammate Harry Wilson’s outside-of-the-boot effort and Manchester City’s Rayan Cherki’s mazy run-and-finish.

The awards also highlighted shock developments: Tottenham’s relegation battle shocked neutrals, while Nottingham Forest’s dismissal of Ange Postecoglou—despite his brief tenure—was labeled the most predictable sacking of the season. Liverpool’s title defense, once a foregone conclusion, was dismissed as the worst widely held prediction after their late collapse.

1. Premier League Signing of the Season — Granit Xhaka’s £17m move from Bayer Leverkusen to Sunderland, a transfer that transformed the Black Cats’ midfield.
2. WSL Manager of the Season — Andree Jeglertz, who ended Chelsea’s six-year stranglehold on the title and now eyes a double with a Women’s FA Cup final against Brighton.
3. Scottish Premiership Manager of the Season — Derek McInnes, whose Hearts side fell agonizingly short but showcased the league’s resurgence under his leadership.

Among the breakthrough performers, Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly was named Premier League Breakthrough Player after his marauding full-back displays earned him international recognition, while Coventry’s Matt Grimes narrowly missed out to Middlesbrough’s Hayden Hackney in the Championship. In Scotland, joint winners—Falkirk’s Barney Stewart and Kilmarnock’s Findlay Curtis—were recognized for their impact in lower leagues.