Did Arsenal's Mariona Caldentey Just Become the PFA Women's Player of the Year?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Mariona Caldentey named PFA Women’s Player of the Year.
- Impressive debut season with nine goals in WSL.
- Led Arsenal to Champions League victory.
- Olivia Smith awarded Young Player of the Year.
- Four Arsenal players in the PFA Women’s Team of the Year.
Manchester, Aug 20 (NationPress) Arsenal's Mariona Caldentey has been honored as the PFA Women’s Player of the Year for the 2024/25 season at the Manchester Opera House, marking a remarkable debut year in north London that garnered the admiration of her peers who cast their votes in her favor.
The talented midfielder outperformed her teammate Alessia Russo, along with Erin Cuthbert (Chelsea), Mary Fowler (Manchester City), Yui Hasegawa (Manchester City), and Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United).
Mariona is now the third player from the Gunners to receive this accolade, which is regarded as the premier individual honor in the domestic women’s football scene, following in the footsteps of Kim Little in 2011/12 and Vivianne Miedema in 2018/19.
In the previous season, Mariona netted nine goals in 21 Women’s Super League matches and eight in 15 Women’s Champions League appearances, helping her team clinch the title in Lisbon. This victory marked her third consecutive Champions League win and her fourth overall.
Additionally, she contributed two goals and two assists in the Women’s League Cup, achieving the same remarkable stats for Spain during Euro 2025, guiding her national team to the final.
In other news, Olivia Smith, recently acquired from Liverpool, was celebrated as the Young Player of the Year for her performance last season.
In her inaugural season in England after moving from Sporting Lisbon, she scored seven goals in 20 WSL games while the Reds secured a seventh-place finish.
Moreover, four players from Arsenal have been featured in the 2024/25 PFA Women’s Team of the Year.
Mariona Caldentey, Emily Fox, Kim Little, and Alessia Russo were all voted into WSL's elite XI, selected by their fellow female athletes.
PFA Women's Team of the Year
Phallon Tullis-Joyce (Manchester United), Jayde Riviere (Manchester United), Emily Fox (Arsenal), Maya Le Tissier (Manchester United), Millie Bright (Chelsea), Yui Hasegawa (Manchester City), Erin Cuthbert (Chelsea), Kim Little (Arsenal), Alessia Russo (Arsenal), Mariona Caldentey (Arsenal), Mary Fowler (Manchester City)