Sir Kenny Dalglish and Karen Carney have been announced as the Professional Footballers' Association's Merit Award winners for 2026. This prestigious award celebrates individuals who have made a significant and lasting impact on the world of football.
Dalglish, 75, boasts a remarkable career as both a player and manager. He holds the record as Scotland's most-capped men's international with 102 appearances and shares the national team record of 30 goals with Denis Law. His club career saw him achieve considerable success with Celtic before a British record move to Liverpool in 1977, where he won eight First Division titles and three European Cups. As a player-manager, he guided Liverpool to three league titles and two FA Cups, including a double in 1985-86. Beyond the pitch, Dalglish has been praised for his support of families affected by the Hillsborough disaster and has raised millions for cancer care through the Marina Dalglish Appeal. He announced in June 2026 that he is undergoing treatment for cancer.
Carney, 39, is a highly decorated former England international attacking midfielder. She made 144 appearances for the Lionesses, scoring 32 goals, and helped England secure third place at the 2015 Women's World Cup. At club level, Carney was part of the Arsenal side that achieved a historic quadruple in 2006-07, winning the league, FA Cup, League Cup, and Uefa Women's Cup. She also won the WSL and FA Cup double with Chelsea in 2017-18. Since retiring in 2019, Carney has become a broadcaster and analyst, and chaired an independent review into the future of domestic women's football for the UK Government, published in 2023.
The PFA Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in Manchester on Tuesday evening, where the men's and women's players' player of the year winners will also be revealed.