By Chris Wright
Having already snaffled up the PFA Player of the Year award a week or two back, Chelsea forward Eden Hazard has today completed the set after also being voted the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year (i.e, the one Scott Parker won) for 2015 as well.
Hazard, who will be formally presented with the award at a glitzy bash in London on May 21st, topped the poll of over 300 journalists with a comprehensive 53% of the vote – comfortably ahead of Harry Kane in second place.
John Terry came in third with fellow Chelsea cohorts Cesc Fabregas, Branislav Ivanovic and Thibaut Courtois all making the FWA’s top 10 – the other four players being Alexis Sanchez, David De Gea, Sergio Aguero and Esteban Cambiasso.
FWA chairman Andy Dunn, football columnist for the Sunday Mirror, said:
“The list of truly world class players on the Football Writers’ Association roll of honour is a long one and Eden Hazard is a worthy addition.
“A creator, a goalscorer and the hardest of workers, Hazard has been a constant source of threat for the Barclays Premier League champions.
“But it is not just his trickery, his pace, his artistry and his marksmanship that make Hazard such an invaluable component of Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea squad, it is his durability.
“Hazard has started all 36 Premier League matches and, considering the particularly close attention he receives from opponents, that is a feat in itself.”
Fun fact: As well as Hazard’s clean sweep, the three previous end-of-season PFA and FWA awards have both been won by the same player: Luis Suarez in 2014, Gareth Bale in 2013 and Robin van Persie back in 2012.