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Leicester midfielder Riyad Mahrez has been named the Professional Footballer Association’s (PFA) Player of the Year, with his incredible year for the unlikely Premier League leaders’ having seen him beat out a number of top-tier talent for the accolade.
The 25-year-old has scored 17 goals and made 11 assists during this Premier League season, contributing a great deal to Leicester’s current position atop the league table. Mahrez accepted the award at the Grosvenor Hotel in London, mere hours after he had scored the opening goal in his club’s 4-0 victory over Swansea.
Tottenham’s 20-year-old midfielder Dele Alli was named PFA Young Player of the Year, while Manchester City striker Izzy Christiansen was awarded the PFA Women’s Player of the Year.
Mahrez beat out the likes of Harry Kane, Mesut Ozil, Dimitri Payet, N’Golo Kante and Leicester teammate Jamie Vardy for the award, with him thanking his fellow Leicester players in his acceptance speech. “Without my teammates I wouldn’t get this award,” he said, continuing: “And for my manager and the staff – without them I wouldn’t receive this award and I wouldn’t score. It’s the team spirit, and I want to dedicate it to them.
“It’s extra special because if the players vote for me it’s because they’ve seen I’ve been great this year so I’m happy.”
Leicester now sits eight points ahead of Tottenham at the top of the Premier League table, with the club looking set to take home the trophy at the end of the season after an astonishing year.
