Champions League awards: Kvaratskhelia named best player, Arsenal, PSG dominate team of the season
UEFA, European football’s governing body, has announced its awards for the 2025-26 Champions League season.
This year’s Champions League concluded on Saturday, with Paris Saint-Germain defeating Arsenal 4-3 on penalties to retain the Champions League title.
PSG’s Georgian winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has been named player of the season after being instrumental in the French team’s run to the final. The 25-year-old recorded 10 goals and six assists in 16 games in the competition and won the penalty that led to his side’s equaliser against Arsenal.
This is the second season in a row that a PSG player has won the award after Ousmane Dembele claimed the honour last year. Dembele went on to win the Balon d’Or later in 2025. The player of the season award was handed out for the first time in 2022, with Karim Benzema, then of Real Madrid, becoming the inaugural winner. Manchester City’s Rodri and Madrid’s Vinicius Junior won the award in subsequent years.
The French champions also have a strong presence in the team of the season, with Kvaratskhelia and Dembele selected alongside defenders Marquinhos and Nuno Mendes and midfielder Vitinha.
Finalists Arsenal have three players included in the side — David Raya gets the nod in goal while Gabriel and Declan Rice have also been named in the team.
Rice and Arsenal were on the losing end in the final (Lars Baron/Getty Images)
Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane, team-mate Michael Olise and Atletico Madrid right-back Marcos Llorente complete the lineup.
Madrid midfielder Arda Guler has been named Champions League “revelation of the season”, which is designed to “recognise young players who enjoy a breakthrough season in the Champions League”. It replaces the young player of the season award, which had previously been won by Vinicius Jr, Kvaratskhelia, Jude Bellingham and Desire Doue.
In 14 Champions League games, Guler provided four assists and scored twice, with both of his goals coming in the quarter-final second leg against Bayern.
Madrid’s Federico Valverde won goal of the season for his flick and volley to complete a hat-trick against Manchester City in the round of 16 first leg.
An incredible finish 🤩
Federico Valverde scores the first hat-trick of his career for Real Madrid!@tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/2xnE4JkpqG
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 11, 2026
All award winners are selected by UEFA’s technical observer group, who monitored “the 2025-26 UEFA Champions League in depth, with stats and video assistance”. Several high-profile managers and former players are included in the group, including Gareth Southgate, Claude Makelele, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Rafa Benitez and Ange Postecoglou.
Champions League team of the season
Goalkeeper: David Raya (Arsenal)
Defenders: Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid), Marquinhos (PSG), Gabriel (Arsenal), Nuno Mendes (PSG)
Midfielders: Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain), Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (PSG)
Forwards: Ousmane Dembele (PSG), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich)