Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has been named the FWA Footballer of the Year for 2019/20, an accolade in recognition of his achievements on and off the pitch this season.
The Reds captain capped an incredible campaign for the club by lifting the Premier League trophy earlier this week, ending a 30-year wait since their last league title in 1990.
BREAKING – Jordan Henderson is the new Footballer of the Year for 2019-20. The Liverpool and England midfielder fought off strong competition from Kevin De Bruyne, Marcus Rashford and other LFC teammates to win football’s oldest individual award. Details: https://t.co/fHqoq9Rl1d pic.twitter.com/8s3uCYyGCG
— FWA (@theofficialfwa) July 24, 2020
Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, who recorded 19 assists, and Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, who successfully lobbied the government to help feed children from struggling families, are the other winners of the honour. There were strong contenders. Liverpool stars Virgil van Dijk, Sadio Mane, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Alisson Baker also received votes.
Under Henderson, Liverpool overcame them to win the title for the first time in Premier League history, doing so with seven games to spare. Oddly and very uniquely, it was also the latest title won by the time of year after the coronavirus-enforced hiatus.
Off the pitch, Henderson has also done incredible work creating and driving the #PlayersTogether movement in which Premier League players come together to give to NHS charities during the darkest days of the coronavirus crisis.
??? ?????? @JHenderson named @theofficialfwa player of the year ??#FOTY20 pic.twitter.com/ie0mOJXofA
— Liverpool FC (Premier League Champions?) (@LFC) July 24, 2020
“As grateful as I am I don’t feel like I can accept it myself,” Henderson told FWA. “I don’t feel like I’ve achieved anything this season or in fact I’ve done in my entire career. I owe a lot to a lot of different people – but none more than my current teammates – Joe has been just incredible and deserves every bit as much as I do.
“I take it from this whole squad, because without them I wouldn’t be in a position to win this award. These guys have made me a better player – a better leader and a better person. If anything So, I hope those who voted for me partially recognized the contribution of the entire team.
“Individual awards are nice and they’re special and I’d love that. But an individual award without a collective achievement wouldn’t mean as much to me – if anything.”
Jordan Henderson lifts the Premier League trophy this week / Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
Henderson, the only surviving player from the Liverpool squad that came close to Premier League glory in 2013/14, is the second Reds player to be awarded the FWA award in the past three seasons, with Mohamed Salah was honored with this award. 2017/18.
Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard are the other Liverpool players to win it during a Premier League era, while John Barnes was the recipient in 1989/90 when the club were last crowned champions.
Last year’s FWA winner was Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling.
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