Sam Kerr caps off remarkable season with PFA player of the year award

Joshua Mayne

Sam Kerr caps off remarkable season with PFA player of the year award image

Sam Kerr has been acknowledged for her successful 2021/22 campaign, named the women's player of the year at the annual Professional Footballers' Association awards.

The award adds to the Australian's list of accolades from this season, having already claimed the Golden Boot as the Women's Super League top scorer and deemed player of the year by the Football Writers' Association.

In an award voted on by fellow English football professionals, Kerr beat out a strong shortlist of players which included the likes of Arsenal's Vivianne Miedema and Kim Little, Manchester City's Alex Greenwood and Lauren Hemp, and Chelsea teammate Pernille Harder.

"It's a massive honour I think, whenever you're voted by your peers," Kerr said.

"I think that's the highest honour as a player, so it's an amazing feeling."

Kerr scored 20 goals in the WSL, helping Chelsea to a memorable domestic league and FA Cup double.

The 28-year-old regularly stepped up at key moments, netting twice in the final league game of the season to secure the title before scoring another brace in her side's FA Cup final win over Manchester City.

Erin Cuthbert, Millie Bright, Sam Kerr, and Guro Reiten of Chelsea with the Women's FA Cup trophy
Getty Images

A number of familar faces picked up the other PFA awards, with Manchester City's Lauren Hemp named the women's young player of the year for the third year in a row.

In the men's category, Liverpool star Mohamed Salah was voted player of the year, while Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden won his second consecutive young player of the year award.

Salah edged out Kevin De Bruyne who won the award the previous two seasons, but was unable to repeat the feat despite guiding Manchester City to a Premier League title.

It was an all-England affair in the men's young player category, with Foden notably coming out ahead of Arsenal duo Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe as well as Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher, who spent the season at Crystal Palace.

Joshua Mayne

Joshua Mayne Photo

Joshua Mayne is a content producer for The Sporting News Australia based in Sydney, Australia. He has previously worked as a newsreader at 2SER and journalist at Ministry of Sport. While Joshua’s main passions are football, rugby league, basketball and F1, he will watch any sport that's on. He is still waiting for Arsenal to win the Premier League again.