Kevin De Bruyne has been named the Professional Footballers’ Association’s Players’ Player of the Year for a second successive season.
The Man City playmaker helped his team win the Premier League and Carabao Cup in a hugely successful 2020/21 campaign.
Only De Bruyne, Thierry Henry and Cristiano Ronaldo have won the prestigious award for two successive seasons.
The Belgium international said: “I am becoming more of a leader on the pitch, off the pitch. I am learning a lot about myself, about the way the team is run and it can only help me for the future.
“You want to win all the trophies with the team and then obviously if you win a trophy like this, this is probably the most important one as an individual trophy in the league.
“To be voted by your competitors who you compete with every game, that says a lot.
“They are the people, in my view, who know the most about the game and they are trying to get to the best level.
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“When you have these things, you can show your kids and say, ‘look, this is what daddy did when he was younger.’”
De Bruyne scored six goals and registered 12 assists in 25 Premier League appearances as Man City won a third top-flight title in four years last season.
The 29-year-old beat Man City teammates Foden, Ilkay Gundogan and Ruben Dias, who were named on a six-man shortlist alongside Tottenham’s Harry Kane and Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes.
Meanwhile, Phil Foden won the PFA’s Young Player of the Year award.
The 21-year-old became an integral part in Pep Guardiola’s side and scored 16 goals in all competitions last season.
Foden pipped Chelsea’s Mason Mount, Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, West Ham’s Declan Rice and Manchester United’s Mason Greenwood to win the prize.
He said: “I’m really honoured.
“There have been some great players in the past that have won it and I feel really lucky to win it because there have been so many great young talents this year. It’s a special moment.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea and England forward Fran Kirby scooped the women’s accolade, having found the net 25 times in all competitions as the Blues retained the Women’s Super League title and won the League Cup.
“It’s really special, it’s an amazing achievement,” she said in a PFA video. “First and foremost, my team-mates are amazing and I would never have won any of the awards that I have or any of the trophies that I have without them.”
Chelsea teammates Sam Kerr and Ann-Katrin Berger were beaten to the accolade, while Manchester City trio Lauren Hemp, Chloe Kelly and Sam Mewis completed the shortlist.
Hemp clinched the women’s young Player of the Year award for the second consecutive season and for the third time in her career.
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