All of our Player of the Year winners

Saturday 04 June 2022 12:36

The first Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award was presented in 1988, with Brian McClair the inaugural winner.

The prize is voted for by the club's supporters, and runs alongside the Players' Player of the Year award.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the new holder of the accolade, having been crowned as our winner for 2021/22. The forward's triumph in his first season back at the club means that he has now won the prize a record-equalling four times.

CR7's Portuguese compatriot Bruno Fernandes was the winner in the prior two terms (2019/20 and 2020/21), taking the trophy from Luke Shaw, whose success in 2018/19 means he was the first defender to collect the award in a decade.

Ronaldo wins Sir Matt Busby award

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Cristiano has been declared Player of the Year by United fans voting in the club's official poll.

Ronaldo's latest achievement means he has tied David De Gea on a record four triumphs, having previously been crowned our Player of the Year three times during his first spell at the club - in 2004, 2007 and 2008.
 
Beyond the current Reds pair, there are five players tied alongside Fernandes on two gongs each: McClair, Eric Cantona, Roy Keane, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Wayne Rooney.
 
In total, there have been 23 different winners of the award, across 13 different nationalities. The prize for 2022 was the 35th in the award's history, although a 'Player of the Year' accolade has existed since 1972, with the Manchester United Supporters' Club Player of the Year awarded until 1985, and a Sharp-sponsored version given out - both times to centre-back Paul McGrath - in 1986 and 1987.

Manchester United Supporters' Club Player of the Year

1971/72: Willie Morgan
1972/73: Willie Morgan
1973/74: Jim Holton
1974/75: Lou Macari
1975/76: Lou Macari
1976/77: Brian Greenhoff
1977/78: Steve Coppell
1978/79: Jimmy Greenhoff
1979/80: Joe Jordan
1980/81: Joe Jordan
1981/82: Ray Wilkins
1982/83: Bryan Robson
1983/84: Ray Wilkins
1984/85: Mark Hughes

Sharp Manchester United Player of the Year

1985/86: Paul McGrath
1986/87: Paul McGrath

United.
Who is your Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year for 2021/22?poll

Who is your Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year for 2021/22?

Winners of the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award
 
1987/88: Brian McClair (Scotland)
1988/89: Bryan Robson (England)
1989/90: Gary Pallister (England)
1990/91: Mark Hughes (Wales)
1991/92: Brian McClair (Scotland)
1992/93: Paul Ince (England)
1993/94: Eric Cantona (France)
1994/95: Andrei Kanchelskis (Russia)
1995/96: Eric Cantona (France)
1996/97: David Beckham (England)
1997/98: Ryan Giggs (Wales)
1998/99: Roy Keane (Ireland)
1999/00: Roy Keane (Ireland)
2000/01: Teddy Sheringham (England)
2001/02: Ruud van Nistelrooy (the Netherlands)
2002/03: Ruud van Nistelrooy (the Netherlands)
2003/04: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2004/05: Gabriel Heinze (Argentina)
2005/06: Wayne Rooney (England)
2006/07: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2007/08: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2008/09: Nemanja Vidic (Serbia)
2009/10: Wayne Rooney (England)
2010/11: Javier Hernandez (Mexico)
2011/12: Antonio Valencia (Ecuador)
2012/13: Robin van Persie (the Netherlands)
2013/14: David De Gea (Spain)
2014/15: David De Gea (Spain)
2015/16: David De Gea (Spain)
2016/17: Ander Herrera (Spain)
2017/18: David De Gea (Spain)
2018/19: Luke Shaw (England)
2019/20: Bruno Fernandes (Portugal)
2020/21: Bruno Fernandes (Portugal)
2021/22: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)

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