Rachel Daly and Lauren James win PFA awards | OneFootball

England’s Rachel Daly and Lauren James during the FIFA Women’s World Cup. (Photo by Sarah Reed/Getty Images)

Rachel Daly has won the 2023 PFA Players’ Player of the Year award while the Young Player honour went to Lauren James.

The Aston Villa forward was WSL top scorer with 22 goals in 22 appearances, plus six more in Villa’s run to the FA Cup semi-finals.

She was also named WSL Player of the Season, after which the 31-year-old played her part in England making the Women’s World Cup Final.

Daly saw off last year’s winner Sam Kerr for the award, also overcoming competition from Ona Batlle, Frida Maanum, Guro Reiten and Khadija Shaw.

Chelsea forward Lauren James won the 2023 PFA Young Player of the Year Award, the 21-year-old was close to claiming the honour in the past two seasons but this time beat Lauren Hemp to the prize, along with Missy Bo Kearns, Maya Le Tissier, Laura Blindkilde and Katie Robinson.

James scored five goals in 18 WSL appearances for the Blues, and notched a further two strikes in the Champions League as Emma Hayes’ team were knocked out in the semi-finals.

She continued to excel for England in their surge to the Women’s World Cup final, scoring three times in five appearances in the competition.

Manchester City and Manchester United each have three players recognised in the PFA Women’s Super League Team of the Year at the 50th PFA Awards. Alex Greenwood, Khadija Shaw and Yui Hasegawa made the cut for City, Ona Battle, Mary Earps and Maya le Tissier for United.

Chelsea’s Sam Kerr and Guro Reiten also made the eleven, along with Arsenal pair Frida Maanum and Rafaelle Souza, plus Aston Villa’s Rachel Daly.

Republic of Ireland Women’s head coach Vera Pauw to depart