Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has been voted the Football Writers’ Association’s Footballer of the Year.
Haaland has produced a masterful season with his goal tally in all competitions currently up at 51, and he won 82 per cent of the FWA vote, the biggest margin of victory since the Premier League began.
Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka finished as runner-up, with his Gunners team-mate Martin Odegaard third.
Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne finished fourth, with Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford fifth. In total, 15 players received votes.
The 22-year-old becomes the first City player to win the FWA award, which has been presented since 1948, since centre back Ruben Dias in 2020-21.
Erling Haaland has been voted 2022-23 Football Writers’ Association’s Footballer of the Year
In his debut season in English football, Haaland (right) has bagged 51 goals in all competitions
The Norwegian striker broke the single-season Premier League goal record with 35 goals
Chelsea striker Sam Kerr becomes the first back-to-back winner of the Women’s Footballer of the Year award after another impressive campaign.
The Australian earned twice as many votes as England and Aston Villa star Rachel Daly, with Chelsea’s Lauren James third overall. In total 25 different players got votes in the WFOTY poll.
Both players will receive their awards at the Landmark Hotel London on Thursday May 25 at a special Footballer of the Year dinner, marking the 75th anniversary of the award, first won by Sir Stanley Matthews in 1948.
Haaland has enjoyed a remarkable campaign in which he broke the Premier League’s single season goal record at home against West Ham, bagging his 35th of the campaign that night.
Mail Sport’s chief sports writer Oliver Holt explained this week why the ‘privilege’ of watching Haaland saw him vote to crown the City star as Footballer of the Year – and fellow reporters felt likewise.
‘To win the Football Writers’ Award in my first season in English football is an honour,’ Haaland said.
‘I try every single day to be the best I can be, and to be recognised like this means a lot to me.
‘I have loved my time at City so far – my teammates are incredible, and they provide me with the chances to score goals.
‘I want to thank all of them, because I could not have won this award without them.’
He added: ‘I also owe so much to Pep and the team behind the team here at City.
‘Everybody has been so good to me since I joined and I have never worked with such top professionals.
‘Thank you to everyone who voted for me. It’s a real honour to have won this award.
‘I am now focused on ensuring I finish the season as strongly as possible and helping City win trophies.’
Haaland’s played 47 games this season, bagging 51 goals, including six hat-tricks.
Fifty of his goals have come inside the box and he is averaging a goal every 72 minutes.
With four games remaining in City’s pursuit of another Premier League title, more records could fall at Haaland’s feet.
The Norwegian already has four Premier League hat-tricks to his name since completing his £51m move to the Etihad last summer.
Manchester City’s players gave Haaland a guard of honour after he broke the league record
The striker thanked manager Pep Guardiola (right) for bringing the best out of him this season
He’s managed to bag three goals in outings against Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, Manchester United and Wolves this season, putting him well within touching distance of the single-season record of five league hat-tricks.
That is a record set by Alan Shearer, in the 1995-96 campaign.
‘It is unbelievable how many goals he has scored – so many important goals to help us win games,’ boss Pep Guardiola said of his star man recently.
‘He is a unique person, as a player but also the person is special. He deserved the guard of honour [after breaking the single-season league scoring record]. It is an incredible milestone. One day maybe he will break his record or someone else will, but they will have to score a lot of goals.’
