Mo Salah is no stranger to making history and setting records, and on the 19th of August 2025 he did more of both. He was crowned the PFA Players’ Player of the Year, one of the most esteemed player honours as it is voted for by fellow pros. Salah dominated the voting and won the award by some distance after another stellar season with Liverpool.
He became the first player to win this award three times. First handed out for the 1973/74 season, to Leeds hard man Norman Hunter, it has been won by so many world-class players over the years. The likes of Peter Shilton, Pat Jennings, Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish, Gary Lineker and John Barnes won it before the Premier League era began in 1992/93.
Since then we have seen Alan Shearer, Dennis Bergkamp, Roy Keane, Thierry Henry, Steven Gerrard, John Terry, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs, Wayne Rooney, Gareth Bale, Luis Suarez, Eden Hazard, Virgil van Dijk, Kevin De Bruyne and Erlin Haaland all recognised by their fellow top-flight professionals.
The list of winners, of which we have only named a selection, reads like a who’s who of English football over the past 50+ years. This really is the creme de la creme, and the fact that none of them have managed to claim the award three times shows just how impressive Salah’s accomplishment is.
Why Did Salah Win?
This very special award hits different when we have an important trophy to go along with it. Being champions is what matters and we will fight to do it again this season. I am incredible grateful to the players who voted for me. pic.twitter.com/L9nkm4ltMr
— Mohamed Salah (@MoSalah) August 20, 2025
Salah won and few expected any other result, such was the fantastic season the Egyptian attacker had. Liverpool, against almost all expectations, romped to the title with plenty of room to spare, in what was supposed to be a transitional season. New boss Arne Slot was predicted to struggle, at least a little, having taken over from the charismatic and much-loved Jurgen Klopp. In addition, the Reds hardly spent any money in the transfer window, as their new Dutch boss opted to have a thorough look at what he had first.
One of the Top Premier League Attacking Players
What he had, of course, was one of the greatest attacking players the Premier League has ever seen. It would be hugely unfair to say that Liverpool were a one-man side, or even that they relied on Salah too much. That said, there is no doubt that they possessed less goal threat whenever he was absent and it is fair to say it is unlikely they would have won the league without him.
Now 33 years old, the Egyptian, who boasts 105 caps and 60 goals for his country, is supremely fit and he rarely misses a game. That has been a huge part of Liverpool’s success over the past eight seasons. In that time, including the one game thus far in 2025/26, Salah has played in 289 Premier League games for the Reds, out of a possible 305, with many of the matches missed down to his participation in the African Cup of Nations.
Salah’s Stats
In that time he has notched an incredible 185 goals, meaning he averages 0.64 goals per game. Even by his incredible standards though, 2024/25 was something special. He netted 29 Premier League goals and played a part in all 38 games. In all, he scored 34 times for his club, from 52 matches.
That meant he won the Premier League Golden Boot award for the fourth time in his career. He bagged six more than Newcastle’s Alexander Isak (who Slot would still like to sign – a scary thought!) and seven more than Erling Haaland. In addition to those goals Salah was a hugely effective creator, bagging a massive 18 assists. That was six more than any other player last term and gave him an incredible 47 goal involvements from just 38 games.
Only De Bruyne, Henry and Mesut Ozil have ever contributed more assists in a single Premier League season – and they certainly didn’t score 29 goals as well when they did (although Henry did bag 24). It was a stunning campaign from Salah and enough to earn himself another lucrative contract with the Reds, despite his advancing years.
His efforts also earnt him a place in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year, as well as helping him claim the PFA Fans’ Player of the Year, Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year and Premier League Player of the Season. It was truly a campaign to remember, and Salah shows no signs of letting up, having already grabbed a goal in his side’s opening clash in 2025/26!
Which Players Have Won the Award Twice?
In claiming this prize for the third time Mo moved out in front as the only player to do so. However, which footballers had previously been level with the Egyptian King on two wins? The first player to be a multiple winner of this award was a combative striker who played for Man United at the time of both wins. Welsh ace Mark Hughes won in 1988/89 and again in 1990/91 and interestingly his side did not win the league in either of those seasons.
The next player to double up was another striker and, for now at least, the leading goalscorer in Premier League history. Alan Shearer first won this prize in 1994/95 when he netted a massive 34 goals to help Blackburn Rovers win the Premier League title. His second award came in 1996/97 when he was at Newcastle. He is the only player to have won this award with two different clubs.
Henry then won the Players’ Player award in consecutive campaigns, between 2002 and 2004. He was sensational at that time and also claimed various other individual honours. A few years later Ronaldo won all of the same awards and more, and won this one back to back in 2006/07 and 2007/08. His performances earnt him a move to Real Madrid and didn’t do too badly there!
After Ronaldo came another player who got a dream move to Madrid thanks to his PL performances. Gareth Bale, another Welsh winner, was recognised for his sensational football with Spurs in 2010/11 and 2012/13. The only other player to have been honoured twice is De Bruyne, who became the first Man City player to win this award when he did so in 2019/20. He won it again the following season but not even the brilliant Belgian could complete the hat-trick, as Salah now has.