PFA Player of the Year 2021: Kevin De Bruyne named for the second consecutive year while Fran Kirby wins women’s award

• De Bruyne received the award for the second year in a row
• Phil Foden & Lauren Hemp received Young Player Awards

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Manchester City’s midfielder Kevin De Bruyne was named PFA Men’s Player of the Year for the second year in a row.

Manchester City teammate Phil Foden claimed the PFA Men’s Young Player of the Year award.

Chelsea’s Fran Kirby has been voted PFA Women’s Player of the Year award, while City’s third player, Lauren Hemp, was named PFA Women’s Young Player of the Year.

29-year-old De Bruyne is only the third person to win an award voted on by fellow players in successive seasons.

Thierry Henry in 2003 and 2004 and Cristiano Ronaldo in 2007 and 2008 were other successive winners.

“This is probably the most important individual trophy in the league,” said award winner De Bruyne.

“The fact that the players you compete for in every game are voting for you says a lot. These are the people who know the most about the game,” De Bruyne added.

De Bruyne defeated Tottenham’s Harry Kane, Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes and his City colleagues Foden, Ilkay Gundogan and Ruben Diaz for the men’s award title.

However, 21-year-old Foden won the race for the young player, establishing himself as a regular starter as City won the Premier League. “I’m really honoured,” said the midfielder Foden.

Kirby wins PFA Women’s award for the second time

The 27-year-old forward Kirby is only the second woman to be twice named Player of the Year, also receiving the award in 2018.

She defeated Chelsea teammates Ann-Katrin Berger and Sam Kerr and the City trio Hemp, Chloe Kelly and Sam Mewis for the women’s award title.

“I played like I love the game again, and that’s when you get the most out of me,” Kirby said.

For the third time, 20-year-old Lauren Hemp was named the women’s young player of the year.

“I just hope to keep improving because I know I’m not a finished product,” Hemp said.