PFA Players' Player of the Year

The Professional Footballers' Association Men's Players' Player of the Year (often called the PFA Men's Players' Player of the Year, the Players' Player of the Year, or simply the Player of the Year) is an annual award given to the player who is adjudged to have been the best of the year in English football.[1] The award has been presented since the 1973–74 season and the winner is chosen by a vote amongst the members of the players' trade union, the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA).[2] The current holder is Virgil van Dijk, who won the award on 28 April 2019.

PFA Men's Players' Player of the Year
2019 winner Virgil van Dijk
SportAssociation football
CompetitionAll levels of English football
CountryEngland and Wales
Presented byPFA
History
First award1973–74
Editions45
First winner Norman Hunter
Most recent Virgil van Dijk
WebsiteOfficial website

The first winner of the award was Leeds United defender Norman Hunter. As of 2019, only Mark Hughes, Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale have won the award on two occasions, and only Henry and Ronaldo have won the award in consecutive seasons. Of the five, only Shearer won his two awards playing for different teams. Although there is a separate PFA Young Player of the Year award for players under the age of 23, young players remain eligible to win the senior award, and on three occasions the same player has won both awards for a season, Andy Gray in 1976–77, Ronaldo in 2006–07 and Bale in 2012–13.

Every spring, each member of the association votes for two players.[3] A shortlist of nominees is published in April and the winner of the award, along with the winners of the PFA's other annual awards, is announced at a gala event in London a few days later.[4] The award is regarded by the players themselves as extremely prestigious, with Teddy Sheringham describing it in 2001 as "the biggest personal award you can get in the game",[5] and John Terry stating in 2005 that he considered it "the ultimate accolade to be voted for by your fellow professionals whom you play against week-in and week-out".[6]

Winners

The award has been presented on 46 occasions as of 2019, with 41 different winners.[7][8][9][10] The table also indicates where the winning player also won one or more of the other major "player of the year" awards in English football, namely the Football Writers' Association's Footballer of the Year award (FWA),[11] the PFA Fans' Player of the Year award (FPY),[12] the PFA Young Player of the Year award (YPY),[8][9][13] and the Football Supporters’ Federation Player of the Year award (FSF).[14]

Andy Gray was the first player to win the Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards in the same season.
Mark Hughes was the first player to win the Player of the Year award twice.
Thierry Henry was the first player to win the award in two consecutive seasons.
Cristiano Ronaldo won the award for two consecutive years. He was also the first to win all four major awards in the same year.
Year PlayerClubAlso wonNotes
1973–74Norman HunterLeeds United
1974–75Colin ToddDerby County
1975–76Pat JenningsTottenham Hotspur[15]
1976–77Andy GrayAston VillaYPY[16]
1977–78Peter ShiltonNottingham Forest
1978–79Liam BradyArsenal[17]
1979–80Terry McDermottLiverpoolFWA[18]
1980–81John WarkIpswich Town
1981–82Kevin KeeganSouthampton
1982–83Kenny DalglishLiverpoolFWA
1983–84Ian RushLiverpoolFWA
1984–85Peter ReidEverton
1985–86Gary LinekerEvertonFWA
1986–87Clive AllenTottenham HotspurFWA
1987–88John BarnesLiverpoolFWA
1988–89Mark HughesManchester United
1989–90David PlattAston Villa
1990–91Mark Hughes (2)Manchester United[19]
1991–92Gary PallisterManchester United
1992–93Paul McGrathAston Villa
1993–94Eric CantonaManchester United[20]
1994–95Alan ShearerBlackburn Rovers
1995–96Les FerdinandNewcastle United
1996–97Alan Shearer (2)Newcastle United[21]
1997–98Dennis BergkampArsenalFWA
1998–99David GinolaTottenham HotspurFWA
1999–2000Roy KeaneManchester UnitedFWA
2000–01Teddy SheringhamManchester UnitedFWA
2001–02Ruud van NistelrooyManchester UnitedFPY
2002–03Thierry HenryArsenalFWA, FPY[22]
2003–04Thierry Henry (2)ArsenalFWA, FPY[23]
2004–05John TerryChelsea
2005–06Steven GerrardLiverpool
2006–07Cristiano RonaldoManchester UnitedFWA, FPY, YPY[24]
2007–08Cristiano Ronaldo (2)Manchester UnitedFWA, FPY[25]
2008–09Ryan GiggsManchester United[26]
2009–10Wayne RooneyManchester UnitedFWA, FPY[10]
2010–11Gareth BaleTottenham Hotspur[27]
2011–12Robin van PersieArsenalFWA, FPY[28]
2012–13Gareth Bale (2)Tottenham HotspurFWA, YPY[29]
2013–14Luis SuárezLiverpoolFWA, FPY, FSF[30]
2014–15Eden HazardChelseaFWA[31]
2015–16Riyad MahrezLeicester CityFPY[32]
2016–17N'Golo KantéChelseaFWA[33]
2017–18Mohamed SalahLiverpoolFWA, FPY, FSF[34]
2018–19Virgil van DijkLiverpool[35]

Breakdown of winners

By country
CountryNumber of winsWinning years
England
18
1973–74, 1974–75, 1977–78, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97, 2000–01, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10
Wales
6
1983–84, 1988–89, 1990–91, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13
France
5
1993–94, 1998–99, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2016–17
Netherlands
4
1997–98, 2001–02, 2011–12, 2018–19
Scotland
3
1976–77, 1980–81, 1982–83
Republic of Ireland
3
1978–79, 1992–93, 1999–2000
Portugal
2
2006–07, 2007–08
Northern Ireland
1
1975–76
Uruguay
1
2013–14
Belgium
1
2014–15
Algeria
1
2015–16
Egypt
1
2017–18

By club
ClubNumber of winsWinning years
Manchester United
11
1988–89, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1993–94, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10
Liverpool
8
1979–80, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1987–88, 2005–06, 2013–14, 2017–18, 2018–19
Tottenham Hotspur
5
1975–76, 1986–87, 1998–99, 2010–11, 2012–13
Arsenal
5
1978–79, 1997–98, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2011–12
Chelsea
3
2004–05, 2014–15, 2016–17
Aston Villa
3
1976–77, 1989–90, 1992–93
Everton
2
1984–85, 1985–86
Newcastle United
2
1995–96, 1996–97
Leeds United
1
1973–74
Derby County
1
1974–75
Nottingham Forest
1
1977–78
Ipswich Town
1
1980–81
Southampton
1
1981–82
Blackburn Rovers
1
1994–95
Leicester City
1
2015–16

See also

References
  1. "England Player Honours – Professional Footballers' Association Players' Players of the Year". England Football Online. 19 June 2007. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
  2. "Ronaldo picks up the double". The Daily Mail. London. 23 April 2007. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
  3. "Gerrard named player of the year". BBC. 23 April 2006. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
  4. "United trio lead nominations for PFA award". The Times. London. 16 April 2007. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
  5. "Sheringham wins second award". BBC. 29 April 2001. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
  6. "Terry claims player of year award". BBC. 24 April 2005. Retrieved 24 March 2008.
  7. "Only here for the peers". BBC. 20 April 2001. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
  8. "Gerrard named player of the year". BBC. 23 April 2006. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
  9. "Ronaldo secures PFA awards double". BBC. 22 April 2007. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
  10. "Rooney is PFA player of the year". BBC. 25 April 2010. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
  11. "England – Players Awards". RSSSF. 4 October 2007. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
  12. "PFA's Official Fan's Player of the Year: Previous Winners". The Professional Footballers' Association. Archived from the original on 20 February 2008. Retrieved 14 March 2008.
  13. Frank Keogh (20 April 2001). "Too much too young?". BBC. Retrieved 17 March 2008.
  14. "The FSF Awards in association with William Hill (Monday 16th Dec)". Football Supporters’ Federation. 14 October 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  15. First non–English winner, also first player to win both the PFA and FWA awards, having won the FWA award in 1973.
  16. First player to win two awards in a single season.
  17. First winner from outside the United Kingdom.
  18. First player to win both PFA and FWA awards in the same season.
  19. First player to win the award twice.
  20. First winner of the award from outside the British Isles.
  21. First player to win the award with two clubs.
  22. First player to win three awards in a single season.
  23. First player to win the award in two consecutive seasons.
  24. First player to win four awards in a single season.
  25. "Ronaldo named player of the year". BBC. 27 April 2008. Retrieved 28 April 2009.
  26. Stafford, Mikey (26 April 2009). "Ryan Giggs pays tribute to manager after adding another trophy to cabinet". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 26 April 2009.
  27. "Spurs' Gareth Bale wins PFA player of the year award". BBC. 17 April 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
  28. "Arsenal striker Robin van Persie named PFA Player of the Year". BBC. 22 April 2012. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  29. "Gareth Bale wins PFA Player of Year and Young Player awards". BBC Sport. 28 April 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
  30. First South American and non-European player to win the award.
  31. "Chelsea's Eden Hazard named PFA Player of the Year". Goal.com. 26 April 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  32. "Riyad Mahrez: Leicester City forward named PFA Player of the Year". BBC. 25 April 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  33. "Chelsea Midfielder N'Golo Kanté named PFA player of the year". Evening Standard. 23 April 2017. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
  34. "Mohamed Salah: Liverpool forward voted PFA Player of the Year 2017-18". BBC. 23 April 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
  35. "Virgil van Dijk and Vivianne Miedema win PFA Player of the Year awards". BBC. 29 April 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2019.

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