LONDON (AP) — Manchester City forward Phil Foden has been voted Footballer of the Year in England.
Foden’s award comes after an outstanding season with 16 Premier League goals so far for the defending champion. He has also provided 10 assists in all competitions for City.
And City made it a double for individual prizes with Khadija “Bunny” Shaw taking the women’s award.
Foden received 42% of the votes to beat second-place Declan Rice from Arsenal and City teammate Rodri in third.
“I strive to be the best that I can be every single day and that is all down to the way the manager and my colleagues always seek to improve and get better,” Foden said. “Now I am focused on seeking to finish the season as strongly as possible and to try to help City win more trophies.”
The award, which is run by the Football Writers’ Association, has been won by City players in three of the last four years, with Erling Haaland taking it last year and Ruben Diaz in 2021. It was first won by England great Stanley Matthews in 1948.
Shaw is the second City player to win the women’s award, which also went to Nikita Parris in 2019.
It is the second time in five years that City has done the double, with Raheem Sterling also taking the prize in 2019.
Jamaica international Shaw, who has scored 21 goals in 18 league appearances this season, beat Chelsea’s Lauren James to the award with 53% of votes. City teammates Alex Greenwood and Yui Hasegawa were third and fourth.
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