Caldentey And Smith Win Pfa Player Of The Year Awards

Arsenal midfielder Mariona Caldentey has been named nan Professional Footballers' Association women's subordinate of nan year, pinch her caller team-mate Olivia Smith awarded nan young subordinate award.

USA head Emma Hayes won nan PFA merit grant successful nickname of her contributions to women's shot during an illustrious profession pinch Chelsea.

Caldentey, 29, scored 19 goals successful 41 appearances successful each competitions successful her first play pinch nan Gunners, pursuing a move from Barcelona, including 9 goals and 5 assists successful nan Women's Super League (WSL).

Arsenal team-mate Alessia Russo, Manchester City brace Mary Fowler and Yui Hasegawa, Chelsea's Erin Cuthbert and Manchester United's Phallon Tullis-Joyce were besides connected nan shortlist.

Spain world Caldentey was named nan WSL subordinate of nan twelvemonth successful May, an grant that was voted for by supporters.

Arsenal vanished 2nd successful nan WSL, down champions Chelsea, but hit Barcelona 1-0 successful nan Champions League last pinch Caldentey playing nan full match.

Canada guardant Smith, 21, became nan astir costly signing successful women's shot history erstwhile she completed a £1m move to nan Gunners from Liverpool successful July.

Smith made her world debut astatine 15 and joined Liverpool from Portuguese broadside Sporting a twelvemonth agone for a club-record interest of conscionable complete £200,000.

She scored 9 goals successful 20 matches successful nan WSL earlier agreeing a move to Arsenal successful July.

Also successful nan moving for nan PFA young subordinate of nan twelvemonth grant were Chelsea trio Aggie Beever-Jones, Maika Hamano and Weikie Kaptein; Manchester United midfielder Grace Clinton, who won nan accolade successful 2024; and Manchester City's Fowler.

Hayes is wide regarded arsenic 1 of nan game's astir influential coaches and was responsible for building a Chelsea dynasty that has seen them predominate English shot for nan past decade.

The 48-year-old, who spent 12 years successful complaint of nan Blues, is simply a serial victor and led nan nine to 16 trophies, including 7 WSL titles and 5 FA Cups.

She is besides a six-time WSL head of nan play victor and has picked up nan Best Fifa shot coach grant twice.

Since leaving Chelsea astatine nan extremity of nan 2023-24 season, Hayes has continued to bask occurrence connected nan world shape pinch nan USA, starring them to golden astatine nan 2024 Paris Olympics.

Off nan field, Hayes has been a spokesperson for women's health, advocating for investigation connected menstrual rhythm patterns, encouraging studies connected nan relationships betwixt female footballers and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, and pushing for acquisition successful nutrition.