Kevin De Bruyne named PFA Player of the Year for the second year running
Kevin De Bruyne has been named men’s PFA Players’ Player of the Year for the second consecutive year.
Manchester City team-mate Phil Foden won the men’s PFA Young Player of the Year award.
Chelsea’s Fran Kirby was voted women’s PFA Players’ Player of the Year, while a third City player, Lauren Hemp, won the women’s PFA Young Player of the Year.
De Bruyne, 29, is only the third man to win the award, which is voted for by fellow players, in successive seasons.
Cristiano Ronaldo, in 2007 and 2008, and Thierry Henry, in 2003 and 2004, were the other back-to-back winners.
“This is probably the most important individual trophy in the league,” said playmaker De Bruyne.
“To be voted for by players who you compete with every game says a lot. They’re the people who know the most about the game.”
De Bruyne beat Tottenham’s Harry Kane, Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United and City colleagues Foden, Ilkay Gundogan and Ruben Dias to the award.
Foden, 21, took the Young Player gong, however, after establishing himself as a regular starter as City won the Premier League. “I’m really honoured,” the midfielder said.
Kirby wins women’s PFA award for second time
Forward Kirby, 27, is only the second woman to win Player of the Year twice, having also received the award in 2018.
She beat Chelsea team-mates Ann-Katrin Berger and Sam Kerr and City trio Hemp, Chloe Kelly and Sam Mewis to the honour.
“I’ve been playing like I love the game again and that’s when you get the best out of me,” said Kirby.
Hemp, 20, scooped women’s Young Player of the Year for the third time.
“I just hope to keep improving because I know I’m not the finished product,” said the forward.