Emmanuel Fernandez has been included in the Scottish Premiership Team of the Season.
The 24-year-old centre-back earned recognition from his fellow professionals following an outstanding debut season at the heart of Rangers’ defence. Fernandez has been a consistent performer for the Light Blues, making 28 appearances across all competitions and emerging as the club’s sole representative in the prestigious selection.
His impressive form has not gone unnoticed beyond club football, as he recently celebrated his international debut for Nigeria—marking a significant milestone in his career.
Reacting to the honour, Fernandez expressed gratitude and satisfaction with his progress:
“I am delighted to be included in the PFA Team of the Year and it means a lot to me. I have enjoyed my debut season with Rangers, and it has gone better than I ever dreamed it could,” he told the club’s official website.
“I would like to thank the gaffer and his coaching staff for believing and trusting in me, my teammates for all their support, as well as our amazing fans who have backed me since I joined the club.”
Fernandez joined Rangers last summer from League One side Peterborough United and has quickly established himself as a key figure in the squad, capping a remarkable first season with individual recognition among the league’s elite.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
