The Professional Footballers Association (PFA) is a union for footballers in England and also Wales. The group was formed in 1907 and represents both current and former players.
Each season since 1973/74, the PFA opens voting to its members who will pick two players each who they consider have been the best performing that year in English football. As this is voted on by fellow pros, this award is seen as particularly prestigious.
The winners tend to be those who have played a starring role in helping their team lead the Premier League (or Division 1 prior to 1992-93) at the time. The first winner was Norman Hunter who went on to win the title that season with Leeds United.
List of PFA Player of the Year Winners: 1974 – 2021
| Season | Player | Club | Position | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020/21 | Kevin De Bruyne | Manchester City | Midfielder | Belgian |
| 2019/20 | Kevin De Bruyne | Manchester City | Midfielder | Belgian |
| 2018/19 | Virgil van Dijk | Liverpool | Defender | Dutch |
| 2017/18 | Mohamed Salah | Liverpool | Forward | Egyptian |
| 2016/17 | N’Golo Kanté | Chelsea | Midfielder | French |
| 2015/16 | Riyad Mahrez | Leicester City | Forward | Algerian |
| 2014/15 | Eden Hazard | Chelsea | Forward | Belgian |
| 2013/14 | Luis Suárez | Liverpool | Forward | Uruguayan |
| 2012/13 | Gareth Bale | Tottenham Hotspur | Forward | Welsh |
| 2011/12 | Robin van Persie | Arsenal | Forward | Dutch |
| 2010/11 | Gareth Bale | Tottenham Hotspur | Forward | Welsh |
| 2009/10 | Wayne Rooney | Manchester United | Forward | English |
| 2008/09 | Ryan Giggs | Manchester United | Midfielder | Welsh |
| 2007/08 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Manchester United | Forward | Portuguese |
| 2006/07 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Manchester United | Forward | Portuguese |
| 2005/06 | Steven Gerrard | Liverpool | Midfielder | English |
| 2004/05 | John Terry | Chelsea | Defender | English |
| 2003/04 | Thierry Henry | Arsenal | Forward | French |
| 2002/03 | Thierry Henry | Arsenal | Forward | French |
| 2001/02 | Ruud van Nistelrooy | Manchester United | Forward | Dutch |
| 2000/01 | Teddy Sheringham | Manchester United | Forward | English |
| 1999/00 | Roy Keane | Manchester United | Midfielder | Irish |
| 1998/99 | David Ginola | Tottenham Hotspur | Midfielder | French |
| 1997/98 | Dennis Bergkamp | Arsenal | Forward | Dutch |
| 1996/97 | Alan Shearer | Newcastle United | Forward | English |
| 1995/96 | Les Ferdinand | Newcastle United | Forward | English |
| 1994/95 | Alan Shearer | Blackburn Rovers | Forward | English |
| 1993/94 | Eric Cantona | Manchester United | Forward | French |
| 1992/93 | Paul McGrath | Aston Villa | Defender | Irish |
| 1991/92 | Gary Pallister | Manchester United | Defender | English |
| 1990/91 | Mark Hughes | Manchester United | Forward | Welsh |
| 1989/90 | David Platt | Aston Villa | Midfielder | English |
| 1988/89 | Mark Hughes | Manchester United | Forward | Welsh |
| 1987/88 | John Barnes | Liverpool | Midfielder | English |
| 1986/87 | Clive Allen | Tottenham Hotspur | Forward | English |
| 1985/86 | Gary Lineker | Everton | Forward | English |
| 1984/85 | Peter Reid | Everton | Midfielder | English |
| 1983/84 | Ian Rush | Liverpool | Forward | Welsh |
| 1982/83 | Kenny Dalglish | Liverpool | Forward | Scottish |
| 1981/82 | Kevin Keegan | Southampton | Forward | English |
| 1980/81 | John Wark | Ipswich Town | Midfielder | Scottish |
| 1979/80 | Terry McDermott | Liverpool | Midfielder | English |
| 1978/79 | Liam Brady | Arsenal | Midfielder | Irish |
| 1977/78 | Peter Shilton | Nottingham Forest | Goalkeeper | English |
| 1976/77 | Andy Gray | Aston Villa | Forward | Scottish |
| 1975/76 | Pat Jennings | Tottenham Hotspur | Goalkeeper | Northern Irish |
| 1974/75 | Colin Todd | Derby County | Defender | English |
| 1973/74 | Norman Hunter | Leeds United | Defender | English |