Ronaldo wins PFA award

Cristiano Ronaldo has been named Professional Footballers' Association Player of the Year for the second time in succession.

The Manchester United midfielder has enjoyed another outstanding campaign having scored 38 goals in all competitions for the Barclays Premier League champions.

Ronaldo said: "I feel very happy. When you work all season to play good, to do something for the team, to do your contribution for the team and then at the end of the season the PFA give you this award, it is a great moment, it is an honour, a pleasure."

He added: "It is a great motivation to carry on like that, to work more and get better.

"I feel very good but it is not just my award, my team-mates have helped me a lot this season.

"They give me good passes to score goals - and I score - but it is a good moment for me."

The 23-year-old beat off competition from Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard, Cesc Fabregas, Emmanuel Adebayor and David James to land the prize.

Arsenal midfielder Fabregas was named Young Player of the Year - an award which Ronaldo also won in 2007 - at a star-studded ceremony at London's Grosvenor House Hotel.

"I'm very proud. It's a very prestigious trophy," said Fabregas. "Football is a collective game and you prefer to win trophies with team-mates but it's always nice to have this type of award."

Former England and Blackpool full-back Jimmy Armfield, 72, still involved in the game as a broadcaster, received the Merit award for his services to the game.