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LONDON - MANCHESTER United winger Cristiano Ronaldo on Sunday followed in the footsteps of Thierry Henry by being named the Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year for the second successive season.
But the 23-year-old, who has scored 38 goals this season, did not attend the ceremony as United players are not allowed out within 48 hours of a big game.
'I feel very happy,' said Ronaldo, who beat five others on the short-list - Liverpool's Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, Arsenal's Francesc Fabregas and Emmanuel Adebayor and Portsmouth goalkeeper David James.
'It is a great motivation to work more and get better.'
Henry collected the award in 2003 and 2004 before leaving Arsenal for Barcelona last year.
Ronaldo becomes only the second player to have won it two years in succession.
Fabregas, the Premiership's leading assist-maker with 18 and who has himself scored 13 goals in all competitions, picked up the consolation prize of the PFA Young Player of the Year.
Strangely, no player from potential Premier League and Champions League winners Chelsea was named in the PFA's Team of the Year.
The PFA team: James (Portsmouth), Bacary Sagna (Arsenal), Rio Ferdinand (Man Utd), Nemanja Vidic (Man Utd), Gael Clichy (Arsenal), Gerrard (Liverpool), Fabregas (Arsenal), Ronaldo (Man Utd), Ashley Young (Aston Villa), Adebayor (Arsenal), Torres (Liverpool).
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
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