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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has won a record fifth Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award after an outstanding individual campaign. The Portuguese playmaker has now surpassed the records of club legends Cristiano Ronaldo and David de Gea, cementing his status as one of the most consistent players in the club’s modern history.
Red Devils captain honored
Fernandes has enjoyed a resurgent campaign under Michael Carrick, helping United secure a return to the Champions League despite early-season domestic cup eliminations. The 31-year-old’s milestone performances, including a remarkable 19 assists, earned him the prestigious award for a record fifth time. The accolade places him among his iconic former teammates De Gea and Ronaldo, cementing his status as a modern-day talisman at Old Trafford.
The Portugal international has scored eight goals, but the headline-grabbing stats surround his immense creativity. Having created 124 chances this season, the fourth highest total in a single Premier League campaign, Fernandes is on course to equal the competition record.
Currently sitting on 19 league assists, the United skipper needs just one more to reach the milestone of 20 set by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne, with two domestic matches remaining to potentially surpass that legendary figure.
A legacy among the greats
Since his arrival in 2020, Fernandes has consistently been the club’s standout player, first winning the award under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer before reaching a personal best 28 goals the following year. After Marcus Rashford and Ronaldo won the trophy in intervening seasons, Fernandes returned to the top of the fans’ vote in 2024 following his FA Cup success at Wembley. By winning his latest victory, he becomes only the second player after De Gea to achieve a hat-trick of consecutive victories.
A record in sight
United conclude their season with a home game against Nottingham Forest this Sunday before traveling to Brighton a week later. These matches represent a vital opportunity for Fernandes to maintain his momentum and secure the record for individual assists after a crucial turnaround in the club’s fortunes. With Champions League football assured for next season, the captain remains the focal point of a team looking to build on their strong finishing and prepare for a summer of significant development.
FIFA World Cup 2026: how to watch
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament games will be broadcast live on FOX (70) and FS1 (34), with each game streamed live and on-demand in the FOX One and FOX Sports apps. A record 40 games, more than a third of the tournament, will be broadcast in prime time on FOX (21) and FS1 (19).
The June 11 opening match between Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) will be streamed for free on Tubi, along with the United States’ opening match against Paraguay on June 12 (9 p.m. ET).
