Top Players Honored in Professional Football Awards
Introduction
The Football Writers’ Association (FWA) and Melbourne Victory have announced their player of the year awards for the 2025/26 season.
Main Body
The FWA has named Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes as the men's footballer of the year. He won the award after 900 sports writers voted, with Fernandes receiving 45% of the total. He beat Declan Rice by 28 votes, while Erling Haaland finished third. Fernandes scored eight goals and provided 19 assists this season. His role changed in January after Ruben Amorim left; he moved from a deep position to a 'number ten' role under the new manager, Michael Carrick. This is the first time a Manchester United player has won this award since Wayne Rooney in 2010. Furthermore, Fernandes decided to stay with the club instead of taking expensive offers from Saudi Arabian teams like Al Hilal, helping United qualify for the Champions League. At the same time, the FWA named Khadija Shaw from Manchester City as the women's footballer of the year. Shaw, who plays for Jamaica, scored 19 goals to help Manchester City win their first WSL title since 2016. Although this is her second time winning the FWA award, reports suggest she will likely leave the club when her contract ends, with Chelsea being the most interested team. In the A-League, Juan Mata was named Melbourne Victory’s Player of the Year. In his second season in Australia, Mata recorded five goals and 13 assists, which is the second-highest number of assists in a single season in the league's history. Even though the club did not win any trophies, his individual performance was very impressive. Regarding his future, Mata stated that he will decide on his new contract after the finals series ends.
Conclusion
In summary, Fernandes, Shaw, and Mata have all received major individual awards, although the future contracts of Shaw and Mata remain uncertain.
Learning
🚀 The 'Contrast' Bridge: Moving Beyond 'But'
At the A2 level, we usually connect opposite ideas with 'but'. To reach B2, you need to use Complex Contrast Linkers. These allow you to sound more professional and academic.
🔍 Case Study: The Article's Secrets
Look at how the text connects conflicting ideas without using 'but' every time:
- "Although this is her second time winning... reports suggest she will likely leave."
- The Logic: Something is true (she is a winner), YET something unexpected is happening (she is leaving).
- "Even though the club did not win any trophies, his individual performance was very impressive."
- The Logic: A negative situation (no trophies) does not stop a positive result (impressive performance).
🛠️ How to Use Them
| Connector | How it works | B2 Example |
|---|---|---|
| Although / Even though | Put these at the start of the sentence to show a surprise. | Even though it was raining, the match continued. |
| Instead of | Used when one choice is rejected for another. | He stayed at United instead of moving to Saudi Arabia. |
| Furthermore | Not a contrast, but a 'bridge' to add a strong extra point. | He scored goals. Furthermore, he provided 19 assists. |
💡 Pro Tip for the Transition
When you see a sentence that starts with Although, do not put a comma in the middle of the thought; let the sentence flow until the 'surprise' part.
A2 Style: He is great, but he is leaving. B2 Style: Although he is great, he is leaving.