Erling Haaland has become the first person to win both Premier League Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year in the same season. The 22-year-old Manchester City striker was the overwhelming favourite to win both awards following an outstanding maiden season in England, where he has broken scoring records left, right and centre. Haaland has scored 36 goals in 35 appearances so far, breaking Alan Shearer and Andy Cole’s record for most goals in a single season, helping City overcome Arsenal to win a third straight league title. Across all competitions, he has netted 52 goals in 51 games with the Citizens on the verge of winning the treble, with the FA Cup final against Manchester United and the Champions League final against Inter Milan coming up in the next few weeks.
Haaland was up against some tough competition, with teammate Kevin De Bruyne, Arsenal duo Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka, Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, Tottenham’s Harry Kane and Newcastle’s Kieran Trippier also nominated for the Player of the Year award. Odegaard and Saka were also nominated for the Young Player award as was Gunners teammate Gabriel Martinelli, Newcastle duo Sven Botman and Alexander Isak and Brighton stars Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister.
Haaland expressed his gratitude for winning both awards, saying: “I am honoured to have become the first player to win both awards in the same season – thank you to everyone who voted for me. It has been an incredible first season in the Premier League and lifting the trophy last weekend in front of our fans at the Etihad was a very special moment for me. These awards would not have been possible without my amazing team-mates, the manager and all of the staff at the club who help me perform on the pitch. Now we have two more finals to go and we want to finish the season strong.”
Haaland has already won the 2023 Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year award and has also been shortlisted for the PFA Player and Young Player of the Season prizes. It is the fourth season in a row that a City star has won Premier League Player of Year, following Kevin De Bruyne (twice) and Ruben Dias, and the third time in a row that the club has produced the Young Player winner after Phil Foden’s back-to-back awards. Both awards are decided by a public vote combined with those of 20 club captains and a panel of football experts. Though he is likely to be rested, Haaland could feature one more time in the Premier League this season when City travel to Brentford on Sunday.