Mohamed Salah’s two-year reign as Reach Sport’s Fans’ Footballer of the Year is over after Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes mounted a late surge to take his crown.
Over 60,000 voters had their say, choosing from a nine-person shortlist of players who have excelled in the Premier League and Women’s Super League in 2022. Salah won the inaugural award in 2020 before enjoying an arguably even more impressive campaign in 2021 to retain his crown.
A third award looked entirely possible as the voting played out over the past month but, in the end, it was Newcastle’s popular Brazilian Guimaraes who surged clear to fill top spot.
Is Guimaraes deserving of the award? Give us your thoughts in the comments section.
Salah had to be content with second, with Beth Mead, the star of England women’s European Championship success, third. The trio finished well clear of the rest, which was headed by Arsenal ’s Bukayo Saka. Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne led the Manchester City challenge, with Heung-min Son, James Maddison and Harry Kane completing the nine shortlisted players.
A further 11 players who missed out on the shortlist after our initial journalist vote made up the final 20. Guimaraes hasn’t single-handedly transformed Newcastle from relegation strugglers to Champions League challengers but he has certainly had a major influence on their rise.
He says he wants to “be a legend” on Tyneside and he is already well on his way to that with eight goals and three assists in 29 appearances for the Magpies.
Nominating journalist Lee Ryder said he “brings Champions League quality to St James' Park”. Soon he may be bringing Champions League football to St James’ Park. One of the signings of 2022, and now Premier League Fans' Footballer of the Year. Can that smile on his face get any wider?
Salah had to settle for a runners-up spot this year but did have the consolation of strolling to the Liverpool Fan’s Footballer of the Year award.
The Egyptian King continues to be the Reds’ go-to man. The 2021-22 Golden Boot winner (alongside Heung-min Son) has been less prolific in the league this term, but seven goals in his last five Champions League appearances show he is still the standard to which all other goalscorers should aspire.
Beth Mead finished third and can take some consolation from polling almost double the vote of closest challenger Bukayo Saka.
However, after a summer which saw her finish England’s top scorer and voted Player of the Tournament on the way to European Championship glory, she would have expected more.
And while the hurt goes on for England men, so does it for Mead who is currently nursing a ruptured ACL picked up while playing for Arsenal.
Top 20 of Reach Sport's Premier League Fans' Footballer of the Year
Bruno Guimaraes
Mohamed Salah
Beth Mead
Bukayo Saka
Erling Haaland
Kevin De Bruyne
Heung-min Son
James Maddison
Harry Kane
Joao Cancelo
Kieran Trippier
Sam Kerr
Bernardo Silva
Phil Foden
Ella Toone
Rachel Daly
Christian Eriksen
Alisson Becker
Reece James
Millie Bright
