Riyad Mahrez has won the Professional Footballers Association (PFA) award as the best player in the English league. He was voted for by fellow professional players in the Premier League.
He beats last year’s winner Harry Kane and team mates Jamie Vardy and Ngolo Kante to win the award.
The PFA is an organization of professional players in the Barclays Premier League in England. Every season it votes for players to be awarded in different categories for their efforts during the season.
The Algerian has played 35 league games this season for his club, Leicester City and has had a remarkable season so far; scoring 17 goals and creating 11 more for his team mates.
His contribution has been crucial to taking Leicester to the summit of the league table. Speaking at ceremony in Grosvenor Hotel in London the player was grateful for the contribution of his team mates for his latest individual success. "Without my team-mates I wouldn't get this award,” Mahrez said to BBC.
Riyad Mahrez was signed from French second tier team, Le Havre in 2014. His sudden rise in the game has taken many by storm. This latest success for the Algerian, means that he becomes the first person African ever to win the PFA Player of the Year award and the first non European after Luis Suarez.
With two more games to go in the league, Mahrez’s team is set to complete the script for the biggest underdog story ever in football; by winning the Barclays Premier League.
If Leicester City wins the league, Mahrez will be among the long list of African players who have helped their team in winning the league in England. But his own success will be a bit remarkable considering the quality of the side he plays for in comparison with previous winners.
(C) Politico 03/05/16
