LONDON โ Liverpoolโs star player Mohamed Salah has been named Englandโs โFootballer of the Yearโ by soccer journalists for the third time, equaling a record. Additionally, Arsenalโs forward Alessia Russo was awarded the honor on the womenโs side.
Salah first earned this prestigious award, distributed by the Football Writersโ Association (FWA), in 2018 and again in 2022. The only other player to match this achievement is the legendary Arsenal striker Thierry Henry. The FWAโs award holds the distinction of being the oldest individual soccer honor globally, with its inaugural presentation dating back to 1948.
This year, Salah secured a remarkable 90% of votes from over 900 members of the FWA, marking it as the largest victory margin of the century. Trailing him were teammate Virgil van Dijk in second place and Newcastleโs Alexander Isak in third. Salah currently leads the Premier League with 28 goals and 18 assists, significantly contributing to Liverpool clinching the championship twice in five years.
In the womenโs category, Russo surpassed Manchester Cityโs Khadija Shaw and Arsenalโs Mariona Caldentey. According to FWA chair John Cross, Russoโs standout performances in the Womenโs Champions League played a crucial role in securing her victory. Arsenal, ranked second in the Womenโs Super League, has advanced to the Champions League final after a decisive win over eight-time champions Lyon in the semifinals. They are set to face Barcelona for the title.