David Raya has been crowned Best Goalkeeper at the 2025 London Football Awards, cementing his status as Arsenal’s No. 1 with a season of defining performances.
David Raya has been named the Best Goalkeeper at the 2025 London Football Awards, capping off an extraordinary year in which he established himself as one of the most formidable shot-stoppers in English football.
The ceremony, held at Wembley Stadium on Thursday night, celebrated the finest talents in London football, but there was little doubt over who would claim the goalkeeping accolade.
Raya, whose heroics have defined Arsenal’s defensive resurgence, saw off competition from Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Hannah Hampton (Chelsea Women), Josh Keeley (Leyton Orient), and Mark Flekken (Brentford) to take home the award.
The Spaniard’s impact has been nothing short of transformative. Since last year’s awards, he has delivered a string of defining performances, none more memorable than his two penalty saves in Arsenal’s Champions League round of 16 triumph over Porto. Those heroics, combined with a streak of six consecutive Premier League clean sheets, secured him the division’s Golden Glove at the end of the 2023/24 season.
Recognition soon followed. A place in the PFA Premier League Team of the Year was a testament to his consistency, while his remarkable reflexes were further highlighted when his stunning one-handed denial of Ollie Watkins in August earned him the Premier League Save of the Month.
Elsewhere, Arsenal had strong representation across the London Football Awards.
Gabriel was a contender for Premier League Player of the Year (it went to Cole Palmer), while Mikel Arteta was nominated for Manager of the Year as he continues to mastermind the club’s push for silverware. That award went to Chelsea’s Sonia Bompastor.
On the women’s side, Alessia Russo and Frida Maanum were both in contention for the Barclays Women’s Super League Player of the Year award, underscoring Arsenal’s strength across all levels. Again, that award went to another Chelsea player, this time Guro Reiten.
The club’s future was also well-represented, with Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly shortlisted for Men’s Young Player of the Year which, somehow, went to Tottenham’s Archie Gray, while Michelle Agyemang was recognised in the Women’s Young Player of the Year category with the award going to Aggie Beever-Jones who plays for, yep, you guessed it, Chelsea.