Barclays WSL Player and Manager Standouts Nominated
The best of the best in the BWSL
The nominees for the Barclays Women’s Super League’s Player of the Season and Manager of the Season awards have now been confirmed. Here, we take you through each of the nominees to remind you just why their seasons have been so special.
BWSL Players of the Season:
Kerstin Casparij (Manchester City)
The charismatic Dutch full back has taken her game to another level this season. Kerstin Casparij has formed a potent combination with her fellow nominee Khadija Shaw, with her crosses from the right and Shaw’s presence in the centre terrorising defences across the division. No player in the BWSL has more assists this term than Casparij’s seven. Her goal and assist at Old Trafford in City’s victory over Manchester rivals United was the icing on a delicious cake for the Cityzens.
Kirsty Hanson (Aston Villa)
This season has been Kirsty Hanson’s finest in English football. With a match still to play the Scot has 12 goals in the BWSL, a tally that would have been enough to make her top scorer last year. Hanson has netted braces against both Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur since the turn of the year. One standout moment was her scorching effort from outside the box against Brighton which had the Villa Park faithful on their feet. Hanson has been a bright spark in a season of mixed fortunes for the West Midlands club.
Olivia Holdt (Tottenham Hotspur)
In Olivia Holdt’s first full season at Spurs the Danish dynamo has lit up the league. Her ten goal involvements have helped the North London club to their best ever season in the BWSL. The Dane’s dribbling ability is second to none in the division and she has epitomised the new and exciting Tottenham Hotspur side fans have been treated to this term. Her vital winner against Aston Villa in the dying moments was a highlight as was her magnificent chipped finish against Leicester City early in the season. Holdt also found the net for Spurs against champions Manchester City, evidence she’ll never shy away from a challenge.
Ruby Mace (Everton)
For much of Ruby Mace’s career she has been a midfielder, but this year Mace was asked to play a different role. Converted to centre back, Mace has taken to the position like a duck to water. Mace has made 225 defensive contributions this term, that’s more than any player in the BWSL. With Everton making the permanent move to Goodison Park at the start of the season, concern was growing when the home side had yet to win at The Grand Old Lady by February. When the Toffees eventually did taste victory there, it was Mace who created both goals, assisting the late winner in a 2-1 win over Aston Villa. Mace also had time to captain the Young Lionesses to WU23 European Competition glory, not a bad season all in all.
Jess Park (Manchester United)
Jess Park has been rejuvenated by her move across Manchester this season. Stand-out performances against London City Lionesses, Everton and Brighton followed her move and Park became the fulcrum of this Manchester United team. Her talent ensured they felt the loss of talismanic presence Ella Toone through injury a little less keenly. Her expert dribbling and close control is a joy to behold. No player has made more successful dribbles in the BWSL this term than Park, who made 38. The midfielder helped Marc Skinner’s side to their first UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter final and Subway Women’s League Cup final.
Alessia Russo (Arsenal)
Nothing will endear you to Arsenal fans more than a derby day hat-trick at the Emirates, that will be hard to top in Arsenal colours for Alessia Russo. Last summer Russo scored in the UEFA EURO 2025 final helping the Lionesses to victory and she continued that form in the league with the Gunners. Russo has been asked to play a varied role by head coach Renée Slegers this term, often dropping back into the 10 while Stina Blackstenius operated in the nine. Since then, Russo and Arsenal have excelled, only Khadija Shaw and Vivianne Miedema have more goal involvements in the league this term. The Gunners star scored a vital equaliser against Chelsea early in the season and assisted Beth Mead to open the scoring at Stamford Bridge in Arsenal’s first league victory ever at the Bridge.
Khadija Shaw (Manchester City)
Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw has been simply unstoppable this season in the BWSL, with 19 goals in 21 games, averaging almost a goal a game. Shaw has been an almost constant presence in City’s title-winning side, missing only 31 minutes of BWSL football. The Reggae Girlz star netted a hat-trick against Spurs and put four past Aston Villa in December. She also nabbed a goal and an assist in the Manchester derby at the Etihad in November while having a hand in each of the goals in a 3-0 victory away at Leicester City. Shaw scored at least one goal against almost every team in the league this term, only her former manager Gareth Taylor’s side Liverpool emerged unscathed.
Alyssa Thompson (Chelsea)
Alyssa Thompson arrived last summer from the NWSL with a reputation as one of the brightest talents in world football. The American has more than lived up to that billing for Chelsea this term. Sensational strikes on the road against Liverpool and Arsenal announced herself on the scene. But it was in Chelsea’s most difficult moments she really shined. In Chelsea’s 5-1 defeat to Manchester City, it was Thompson who kept plugging away, finding the net to restore some pride in the defeat. On her debut season Thompson has ten goal involvements in the BWSL, no other Chelsea player has more.
BWSL Manager of the Season:
Andree Jeglertz (Manchester City)
When Andrée Jeglertz arrived at Manchester City he had just led Denmark to a group stage exit at UEFA EURO 2025 and perhaps expectations had dulled after his unveiling as City head coach before the tournament. After defeat away at then champions Chelsea and falling behind at home to Brighton, City fans would have been forgiven for fearing the worst. They needn’t have worried, as Jeglertz would lead the Cityzens to their first title in over a decade. City would overturn that one-goal deficit against Brighton and go on to win every single home game in the league this season, scoring 38 goals in the process. He led Manchester City on a 13-match win streak that helped the Manchester club move out of the reach of their title rivals. Jeglertz’s side have scored the most goals per match, averaging 2.8 per game. They’ve also created 97 big chances, 32 more than Chelsea who have created the next most. Their 15 goals scored from set pieces is double the next most in the league this season. City are deserved BWSL champions and the Swede has masterminded their success.
Renee Slegers (Arsenal)
Renee Slegers’ first full season at the helm of Arsenal was one of evident improvement for the North London side. Arsenal are currently on their joint longest-ever unbeaten run in the BWSL of 14 matches, having only lost once this term. Slegers’ side beat both title rivals Chelsea and Manchester City and conceded the fewest goals in the league, just 13. The Gunners have also secured the most clean sheets in the league with eight and still have three matches to play. A highlight of the Dutch woman’s tenure as Arsenal head coach is her form at the Emirates, she is still yet to lose at the stadium in the BWSL winning 15 and drawing three.
Martin Ho (Spurs)
Before a ball was kicked in the BWSL this term Tottenham Hotspur were in the relegation conversation. After finishing eleventh last season that was natural, Spurs had not won a match in the league since January 2025. Cue Martin Ho’s arrival from SK Brann. Spurs got off to the perfect start winning their first two matches, a blip was to follow against eventual champions Manchester City but Ho’s charges went on to win five of their first seven matches. That helped them keep pace with those in the hunt for European football and even the title. After a disappointing 3-0 defeat at home to Arsenal in 2024-25 Spurs put on a staunch defensive display to deny Arsenal this season, earning a 0-0 draw in November. While the title and European football were out of reach, Ho has led Spurs to their highest ever points tally in the BWSL, they have 33 points with one match still to play.
Word credit: Tom Maher
