With the Three Lions breaking hearts every two years since 1966, England players don’t often get rewarded. But since 2003, players have been able to take the consolation prize of being voted the nation’s Player of the Year.
The likes of Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney had dominated the accolade in its formative years, while these days, it’s the likes of Bukayo Saka and Jude Bellingham who are often in the running.
But who are the previous winners of the award? We’ve listed them here, with a detailed look at the most recent recipients.
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1 ByBarney LaneOct 11, 2024 11 Steven Gerrard – 2012
The first name on our list is one of England’s greatest-ever midfielders and a bonafide Liverpool legend, Steven Gerrard. He finished ahead of the Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck in second and Ashley Cole in third, who was still plying his trade at Chelsea.
It was the second and final time the then 32-year-old would be given the award, and to say he deserved it would be an understatement. By that point, the Liverpool icon had won 100 caps, scored 19 goals and won 64 international games. Oh, and there was the small factor that he was England’s captain at the time.
He may have ultimately ended his time without a major trophy to his name, but he will go down as one of the country’s greatest-ever midfielders.
10 Wayne Rooney – 2014
An undisputed United and England icon, Wayne Rooney falls into the same category as Gerrard in that he will always be remembered as one of the country’s finest footballers, even though he failed to win a major honour with the national side.
Wazza was given the award in January 2015 for his exceptional performances for the Three Lions over the previous year, a year that saw him play in all 13 internationals and score an impressive eight goals along the way.
The then 29-year-old was also given the captain’s armband by Roy Hodgson following Gerrard’s international retirement and would earn his 100th cap in a game against Slovenia in November.
Once again, Welbeck claimed second spot, with Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling coming in third.
9 Wayne Rooney – 2015
Our first repeat on this list, Rooney was once again awarded England’s Player of the Year award in January 2016 for his fantastic international performances in the year prior. It would be the last time he would win the award, but his fourth overall, making him the outright leader for most England Player of the Year awards.
It was a record-breaking year for the legendary forward as he played eight times, scored five goals and finally surpassed Sir Bobby Charlton’s goal tally to become England’s all-time leading goalscorer. It was an outstanding year for the Liverpool-born star, so it was only fitting that he was celebrated for it.
Welbeck finally loosened his grip on second place as a young striker named Kane took his place, while Joe Hart finished in third.
8 Adam Lallana – 2016
Now, this is the first big surprise on the list, not because Adam Lallana is a bad player – far from it – but he’s hardly a headline grabber, and so it’s surprising to look back and see that he was awarded England’s Player of the Year back in January 2017.
That said, his performances for the Three Lions in the prior year meant he deserved the award. The former Liverpool midfielder was a regular starter in 2016 and scored crucial goals against Slovakia, Spain and Scotland.
He took home a commanding 39% of the vote, with Jamie Vardy coming in second on 12% and Rooney third on just 8%.
7 Harry Kane – 2017
It was really only a matter of time before current England captain Harry Kane found himself on this list as a winner, and that moment came in January 2018.
The then 24-year-old won the award thanks to his brilliant form for the Three Lions in 2017, which saw him score seven crucial goals against the likes of Lithuania, Slovenia and Scotland to help England secure their place at the World Cup in 2018.
6 Harry Kane – 2018
Kane would follow up his win in 2018 with another just a year later, genuinely cementing his place as England’s leading man in the post-Rooney era.
The former Tottenham Hotspur star fully deserved the accolade for the second year running as he won the Golden Boot for the 2018 World Cup – in which he scored six goals as England reached the semi-finals for the first time since Italia 90.
The then 25-year-old also scored the decisive goal against Croatia in the inaugural UEFA Nations League group stage to send the Three Lions to the finals the following summer.
5 Jordan Henderson – 2019
Another player on this list that might come as a bit of a surprise to some is former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, not because of his ability but because of the role he played for England. Henderson was never a flashy player for the Three Lions or Liverpool, for that matter, but his tireless running and winning mentality were enough to convince people that he should be given the award.
His performances in 2019 warranted it as well, as he played a vital role in the side’s qualification for Euro 2020 and the team’s third-place finish in the Nations League.
He finished just ahead of Sterling and Kane in second and third, respectively.
4 Kalvin Phillips – 2020-21
This one feels like a blast from the past, yet it was only a couple of years ago. Former Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips won England’s Player of the Year award in September 2021 for his invaluable contributions to the team over the previous year.
Now, while he might be way out of the picture at the moment, when he won the award, it would’ve been hard to argue against it as he had been a permanent fixture in Southgate’s side that was a penalty kick away from winning the European Championships that summer.
In total, he won 15 caps over the year and finished ahead of Mason Mount in second place and Sterling in third place.
3 Bukayo Saka – 2021-22
The first appearance of an Arsenal player on this list, Saka’s win in September last year was the first time an active Arsenal player had won the award since its inception in 2003. The then 21 year old was given the award off the back of winning Player of the Year for the Gunners for a second year running.
For as young as he was, the recognition was fully warranted as the explosive winger had been exceptional for Southgate’s side across the 2021/22 season, fully cementing himself as the country’s go-to winger on the right-hand side.
At the time of winning the accolade, Saka had earned 18 senior caps, scored four goals, provided four assists, and played a vital role in helping England reach the final of Euro 2020.
He finished ahead of Declan Rice and Kane in second and third place.
2 Bukayo Saka – 2022-23
Saka has followed in the footsteps of Rooney and Kane on this list to be just the third player to win the award twice in the last decade, and it’s hard to argue that he isn’t deserving of this accolade. The Arsenal star enjoyed another stellar season for both club and country, finishing ahead of Jude Bellingham and Kane.
In his ten international appearances over the last year, the Hale End graduate scored seven goals – including three at the Qatar World Cup – provided three assists and generally wowed fans whenever he has pulled on the Three Lions.
The dynamic winger was an essential part of England’s World Cup campaign last year, and while they ultimately fell to the then reigning world champions France, Saka was exceptional in that match. His most recent outing with the national side also saw him bag a hat-trick against North Macedonia in qualifiers for the European Championships next summer.
Alongside his outstanding performances on the pitch, Saka often comes across as a genuinely lovely guy, and being named England’s Player of the Year for the second year running on your 22nd birthday seemed a fitting reward for his hard work.