Antoine Semenyo has grow to be the first ever Ghanaian to be named in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year.
The Manchester City ahead was recognised by his fellow professionals following a outstanding 2025/26 marketing campaign in which he established himself amongst the Premier League’s most harmful attacking gamers.
Semenyo’s inclusion caps a season in which he mixed his explosive kind for Bournemouth with a powerful transition to Manchester City, whereas additionally incomes a nomination for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year award.
Although he in the end missed out on the particular person prize, his place in the Team of the Year represents a landmark achievement for Ghanaian soccer.
From Bournemouth sensation to Manchester City star
Semenyo started the 2025/26 marketing campaign at Bournemouth and shortly emerged as one of the Premier League’s standout performers.
Operating primarily from the left however succesful of enjoying on both flank, the Ghanaian turned Bournemouth’s principal attacking outlet and produced the most prolific goalscoring season of his profession.
He scored 10 Premier League objectives for Bournemouth earlier than his January transfer to Manchester City, having already attracted curiosity from a number of of England’s greatest golf equipment.
His kind was so spectacular that City ultimately triggered a deal price round £62.5 million to deliver him to the Etihad Stadium. The Premier League confirmed the transfer as a 5 and a half yr contract.
Rather than being overwhelmed by the transfer, Semenyo instantly checked out dwelling amongst City’s elite.
He completed the marketing campaign with 17 Premier League objectives and 4 assists throughout his spells with Bournemouth and Manchester City.
A Ghanaian goalscoring document
Semenyo’s marketing campaign additionally noticed him rewrite Ghanaian Premier League historical past. His objectives for Bournemouth and City took him to 17 Premier League objectives in a single season, making him the highest-scoring Ghanaian in a single Premier League marketing campaign.
That achievement positioned him past the earlier benchmark related to Ghanaian greats similar to Tony Yeboah and Andre Ayew. It was one other indication of how far Semenyo had progressed since becoming a member of Bournemouth from Bristol City in January 2023.
At Bournemouth, he had already developed into a strong, direct ahead who may mix physicality with tempo and an more and more dependable ending means. His 2024/25 marketing campaign had produced 11 league objectives, however the 2025/26 season represented one other main leap.
By the time he left the south coast in January, he had grow to be one of the most sought-after attacking gamers in England.
Recognition from his fellow professionals
The final recognition got here when Semenyo was included in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year.
The PFA awards are significantly important as a result of the Team of the Year is voted for by skilled footballers themselves.
Semenyo had already been recognised throughout the marketing campaign, successful the PFA Premier League Fans’ Player of the Month award for September 2025.
He was then shortlisted for the Premier League’s Player of the Season award alongside the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Declan Rice, Erling Haaland and Igor Thiago.
He didn’t win the particular person award, however his Team of the Year choice arguably carries a unique form of significance.
It means his performances had been judged by the gamers he competed in opposition to each week they usually thought-about him amongst the finest in the division. Speaking throughout the ceremony in Manchester, the Ghanaian was flattered.
“You play against these players all year round. It’s nice to know that I’m one who’s been voted for.”
For Ghana, Semenyo’s inclusion creates a chunk of historical past of its personal as no Ghanaian had beforehand been chosen in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year.
