LONDON - Cristiano Ronaldo, of Manchester United, was named English soccer's player of the year today, completing an unprecedented clean sweep of the country's three major individual honours this season.
The Portugal winger finished ahead of Didier Drogba, of Chelsea, and United teammates Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes
in the 60th vote organised by the Football Writers' Association (FWA).
"I am absolutely thrilled and delighted to win such an important award, it is a real honour," Ronaldo said after a poll in which an unusually high number of 12 players received votes.
FWA chairman Paul Hetherington said: "(It) completes a remarkable turnaround for the player, who was so heavily criticised during last year's World Cup for his part in the sending-off of club mate Wayne Rooney when England played Portugal in the quarterfinals.
"It shows in England we do not bear a grudge and can accept and recognise individual brilliance. He was the deserved, overwhelming winner of a poll dominated by United players which underlines their success this season."
Ronaldo, 22, becomes the first United player to win the award since Teddy Sheringham in 2001 and the first Portuguese to land the honour.
Ronaldo was also voted player of the year and young player of the year by the Professional Footballers' Association last month.
He joined United from Sporting Lisbon for £12.2 million ($33.41 million) in 2003 and has been in inspirational form this season, scoring 22 goals for United.
Although United were knocked out of the Champions League by AC Milan yesterday, they can still scoop a premier league and FA Cup double.
- REUTERS
