Breaking: Again, Manchester City ‘s Kevin de Bruyne, Chelsea ‘s Kirby win PFA best player of the year awards

Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne has won the Professional Footballers’ Association men’s Players’ Player of the Year award for the second consecutive season.

City team-mate Phil Foden won the PFA Young Player of the Year award.

Both players were influential as City won a third Premier League title in four years and the Carabao Cup.

De Bruyne, 29, is the second player to retain the men’s award, after Cristiano Ronaldo did so at Manchester United.

“You want to win all the trophies as a team and this is probably the most important one as an individual,” said De Bruyne.

“To be voted by your competitors, by players who you compete with every game – to choose you, that says a lot.

“When you have these things, you can show your kids and say: ‘Look, this is what daddy did when he was younger.'”

The Belgium international scored six Premier League goals and registered 12 assists in 2,001 minutes of top-flight football.

He played a key role in City’s double success before fracturing his nose and left eye socket during the Champions League final defeat by Chelsea on 29 May.

He has since had minor surgery on his facial injury and will join the Belgium Euro 2020 squad on Monday.

Foden, 21, has made 50 appearances for Manchester City in all competitions during the season just completed, scoring 16 goals.

The Stockport-born midfielder also made his senior England debut in September and has been included in manager Gareth Southgate’s squad for Euro 2020.

He said: “There have been some great players in the past that have won it, and I feel really lucky because there have been so many great young talents this year.

“I’m really happy and it’s a special moment.”

The winners for each award are voted for by PFA members.

Also, Chelsea forward Fran Kirby has been named the Professional Footballers’ Association women’s Players’ Player of the Year for the second time.

The 27-year-old helped Chelsea to Women’s Super League and League Cup titles this season as well as the final of the Champions League.

“To win this is really special,” she said during the ceremony on Sunday.

Manchester City’s Lauren Hemp, 20, won the PFA’s Young Player of the Year award for the third time.

It is the first time anyone has won a PFA award three times in the same category.