Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah has been voted the Professional Footballers’ Association’s men’s player of the year, with Chelsea’s Sam Kerr collecting the women’s award.
Manchester City's Phil Foden retains the PFA young player of the year award, with Lauren Hemp again best women’s young player, which she won for a third consecutive season.
Voted for by PFA members, the poll was topped by Salah ahead of Belgian playmaker Kevin De Bruyne, who had won for the previous two years and was again an integral part of the Manchester City team that claimed the Premier League title ahead of Liverpool by just one point.
Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo and Tottenham striker Harry Kane had also made the shortlist, along with Salah’s Liverpool teammates Virgil Van Dijk and Sadio Mane.
Salah takes the PFA player of the year trophy for a second time, having won in 2018, after helping to drive Jurgen Klopp’s men to success in the Caraboa Cup and FA Cup, as well as reaching the Champions League final, where they lost to Real Madrid.
Egypt international Salah finished as the Premier League’s joint top-scorer alongside Tottenham’s Son Heung-min with 23 goals, and was announced as the PFA men’s player of the year at an online ceremony on June 9.
“It’s a great honour to win a trophy, individual or collective, and this one is big so, I'm very happy and very proud of that,” said Salah, who was also voted the men’s footballer of the year by the Footballer Writers’ Association.
“This one is a really good one to win, especially because it’s voted by players. It shows you that you’ve worked really hard and you get what you worked for.
“I have my room with trophies in a cabinet and I made sure that I had another space for one more. I always keep space and just try to imagine that the trophies are going to come.”
Mohamed Salah and family - in pictures
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Mohamed Salah on the pitch with his family following the last match of the Premier League season, a 3-1 win against Wolves. Getty -
Mohamed Salah plays football with his daughter Makka Mohamed Salah at Anfield. PA -
Mohamed Salah plays football with his daughter on the pitch at Anfield. Getty -
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah and his family on the pitch at the end of the Premier League season. EPA -
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah plays football with his daughter Makka Mohamed Salah. PA -
Mohamed Salah of Liverpool on the pitch with his family. Getty -
Mohamed Salah's daughter Makka Mohamed Salah on the pitch after the Premier League match against Wolves at Anfield. PA -
Liverpool's Mohamed Salah walks the pitch with his family. PA -
Jurgen Klopp, manager of Liverpool, and Mohamed Salah at the end of the match. Getty -
Earlier Salah had scored for Liverpool in the 3-1 victory against Wolves in the Premier League. Getty -
Mohamed Salah collects a Playmaker Winner Award for having most assists and the Golden Boot, which he shares with Son Heung-min of Tottenham. EPA
Chelsea forward Kerr scored 20 goals to be top scorer in the FA Women’s Super League, helping Emma Hayes’s team win the domestic double after beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
“It’s a massive honour I think, whenever you’re voted by your peers. I think that’s the highest honour as a player so, it’s an amazing feeling,” said Australia international Kerr, who was also named the FWA’s women’s footballer of the year.
Arsenal’s Dutch forward Vivianne Miedema and her Gunners teammate Kim Little were also on the PFA shortlist, along with Manchester City’s Alex Greenwood and Hemp, as well as Chelsea’s Pernille Harder.
Manchester City midfielder Foden, 22, topped an all-England shortlist on the men’s young player award.
Arsenal midfield duo Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith-Rowe, Conor Gallagher, who spent the season on loan at Crystal Palace from Chelsea, Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey and Chelsea full-back Reece James were also nominated.
“I’m really honoured to be honest, especially to win it back-to-back. It shows that I’ve come a long way this year with the consistency of my game,” Foden said.
“Hopefully I can win the main award in the future, but it’s all about taking small steps and improving.”
Mohamed Salah's premier league goals 2021-2022 - in pictures
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1. Mohamed Salah's first goal of the season came in Liverpool's first game of the season, a 3-0 victory at newly promoted Norwich City on August 14. Reuters -
2. Salah's second goal came on August 28, in Liverpool's 1-1 draw with Chelsea. Reuters -
3. No 3 of the season was at Leeds United, where Liverpool won 3-0. EPA -
4. Another for Salah in the Premier League in the 3-0 win against Crystal Palace on September 18. AFP -
5. A thrilling 3-3 draw at Brentford on September 25 saw Salah claim another goal. AFP -
6. A goal that will be talked about for years to come: Salah scores a wonderful strike in the 2-2 draw with Manchester City on October 3. EPA -
7. The international break did nothing to slow Salah's form, as he danced around Watford's bewildered defence to score in the 5-0 win at Vicarage Road. Reuters -
11. After three games without a goal, Salah is back on the scoresheet in the 4-0 demolition of Arsenal in the Premier League on November 20. EPA -
12. Another to delight the Liverpool fans as Salah scores his side's second goal during the 4-1 Merseyside derby win at Everton on December 1. AP -
13. His next came in the same match at Goodison Park. EPA -
14. The only goal of the game in the 1-0 Premier League victory over Aston Villa at Anfield on December 11. EPA -
15. Liverpool keep the momentum going with a 3-1 win over Newcastle at Anfield, with Salah netting the second, on December 16. Reuters -
16. Salah celebrates another goal in the 2-2 draw at Chelsea on January 2. AP -
17. Salah scores the second goal in the 3-1 win against Norwich on February 19. PA -
18. Mohamed Salah scores in the 6-0 win against Leeds on February 23. PA -
19. Salah after scoring his second goal of the game against Leeds. AP -
20. Another stunning season for Mohamed Salah as he notches Premier League goal No 20 in the 2-0 win at Brighton on March 12. PA
Hemp, meanwhile, becomes the first person to win the PFA young player of the year award four times.
Chelsea forward Lauren James, Arsenal’s Norwegian star Frida Maanum, Tottenham striker Jessica Naz, Manchester United forward Ella Toone and Brighton defender Maya Le Tissier made up the rest of the shortlist.
“It’s an honour to get this again. I think especially for it to be voted for by players that I’ve played against and come up against,” said Hemp, 21.
“I look to many of them as role models as well so it’s an honour to be picked from them. I’m going to keep working hard for that to make sure that I continue on the right path.”
The 2022 PFA merit award saw two former England managers honoured, with Roy Hodgson and Hope Powell acknowledged for their outstanding contributions to football.
“I never won any trophies as a player unfortunately, so it is nice to be recognised by fellow professionals. It will have pride of place,” said Hodgson, 74, who left his role with Watford at the end of the season having taken over in January.
Powell said: “I feel lucky and blessed to be in the game after many years.”
