Jordan Henderson has been named the Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association after captaining Liverpool to their first top-flight title since 1990.
The 30-year-old has been in inspired form for Jurgen Klopp’s side this season, scoring four goals and providing five assists from a defensive midfield position in 30 league games.
Henderson becomes the third Liverpool player to win the FWA’s award in the past seven years following on from Luis Suarez in 2014 and Mohamed Salah in 2018. Manchester City‘s Raheem Sterling won it last year with Virgil van Dijk scooping the PFA equivalent.
The England international pipped Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne to the award, with Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford and Liverpool duo Virgil van Dijk and Sadio Mane also featuring in the top five.
“You only have to look at the past winners of it, a number of whom I’ve been blessed to play with here at Liverpool, like Stevie (Gerrard), Luis (Suarez) and Mo (Salah) to know how prestigious [this award] is,” said Henderson.
“But as grateful as I am I don’t feel like I can accept this on my own. I don’t feel like anything I’ve achieved this season or in fact during my whole career has been done on my own. I owe a lot to so many different people – but none more so than my current teammates – who have just been incredible and deserve this every bit as much as I do.
“We’ve only achieved what we’ve achieved because every single member of our squad has been brilliant. And not just in matches. Not just in producing the moments that make the headlines and the back pages but every day in training.
“The players who’ve started the most games for us this season have been as good as they have been because of our culture and our environment at Melwood. No one individual is responsible for that – it’s a collective effort and that’s how I view accepting this honour.
“I accept it on behalf of this whole squad, because without them I’m not in a position to be receiving this honour. These lads have made me a better player – a better leader and a better person. If anything I hope those who voted for me did so partly to recognise the entire team’s contribution.
“Individual awards are nice and they are special and I will cherish this one. But an individual award without the collective achievement wouldn’t mean anywhere as much to me – if anything at all.”
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson Becker, Raheem Sterling, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Sergio Aguero, Adama Traore, Danny Ings, Jack Grealish, James Madison and Jonny Evans also received votes from FWA members.
De Bruyne meanwhile is the front-runner to be named the PFA Player of the Year award, which is voted for by the players themselves, which is announced on Saturday with Henderson recognised as the second favourite according to the bookies.
Henderson missed Liverpool’s thrilling 5-3 win over Chelsea in their final home game of the campaign on Wednesday but he was on hand to lift the Premier League title afterwards.
“We’ve been waiting a long time,” Henderson told Sky Sports. “The build-up, walking up there was amazing. The lads deserve the moment tonight. Thankfully the families are there, which is a big thing for us.
“It’s been an amazing season, to crown it off like that was special.”
Football Writers’ Player of the Year winners:
- 1948 – Stanley Matthews (Blackpool)
- 1949 – Johnny Carey (Man United)
- 1950 – Joe Mercer (Arsenal)
- 1951 – Harry Johnston (Blackpool)
- 1952 – Billy Wright (Wolves)
- 1953 – Nat Lofthouse (Bolton)
- 1954 – Tom Finney (Preston)
- 1955 – Don Revie (Man City)
- 1956 – Bert Trautmann (Man City)
- 1957 – Tom Finney (Preston) (2)
- 1958 – Danny Blanchflower (Spurs)
- 1959 – Syd Owen (Luton)
- 1960 – Bill Slater (Wolves)
- 1961 – Danny Blanchflower (Spurs) (2)
- 1962 – Jimmy Adamson (Burnley)
- 1963 – Stanley Matthews (Stoke) (2)
- 1964 – Bobby Moore (West Ham)
- 1965 – Bobby Collins (Leeds)
- 1966 – Bobby Charlton (Man Utd)
- 1967 – Jack Charlton (Leeds)
- 1968 – George Best (Man Utd)
- 1969 – Dave Mackay (Derby) & Tony Book (Man City)
- 1970 – Billy Bremner (Leeds)
- 1971 – Frank McLintock (Arsenal)
- 1972 – Gordon Banks (Stoke)
- 1973 – Pat Jennings (Spurs)
- 1974 – Ian Callaghan (Liverpool)
- 1975 – Alan Mullery (Fulham)
- 1976 – Kevin Keegan (Liverpool)
- 1977 – Emlyn Hughes (Liverpool)
- 1978 – Kenny Burns (Forest)
- 1979 – Kenny Dalglish (Liverpool)
- 1980 – Terry McDermott (Liverpool)
- 1981 – Frans Thijssen (Ipswich)
- 1982 – Steve Perryman (Spurs)
- 1983 – Kenny Dalglish (Liverpool) (2)
- 1984 – Ian Rush (Liverpool)
- 1985 – Neville Southall (Everton)
- 1986 – Gary Lineker (Everton)
- 1987 – Clive Allen (Spurs)
- 1988 – John Barnes (Liverpool)
- 1989 – Steve Nicol (Liverpool)
- 1990 – John Barnes (Liverpool) (2)
- 1991 – Gordon Strachan (Leeds)
- 1992 – Gary Lineker (Spurs) (2)
- 1993 – Chris Waddle (Sheff Wed)
- 1994 – Alan Shearer (Blackburn)
- 1995 – Jurgen Klinsmann (Spurs)
- 1996 – Eric Cantona (Man Utd)
- 1997 – Gianfranco Zola (Chelsea)
- 1998 – Dennis Bergkamp (Arsenal)
- 1999 – David Ginola (Spurs)
- 2000 – Roy Keane (Man Utd)
- 2001 – Teddy Sheringham (Man Utd)
- 2002 – Robert Pires (Arsenal)
- 2003 – Thierry Henry (Arsenal)
- 2004 – Thierry Henry (Arsenal) (2)
- 2005 – Frank Lampard (Chelsea)
- 2006 – Thierry Henry (Arsenal) (3)
- 2007 – Cristiano Ronaldo (Man Utd)
- 2008 – Cristiano Ronaldo (Man Utd) (2)
- 2009 – Steven Gerrard (Liverpool)
- 2010 – Wayne Rooney (Man Utd)
- 2011 – Scott Parker (West Ham)
- 2012 – Robin van Persie (Arsenal)
- 2013 – Gareth Bale (Spurs)
- 2014 – Luis Suárez (Liverpool)
- 2015 – Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
- 2016 – Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)
- 2017 – N’Golo Kante (Chelsea)
- 2018 – Mohammed Salah (Liverpool)
- 2019 – Raheem Sterling (Man City)
- 2020 – Jordan Henderson (Liverpool)
Henderson became the tenth Liverpool captain to lead the club to a top-flight title and the first since Alan Hansen in 1990.
Since being appointed Liverpool captain in 2015 following Steven Gerrard’s departure, Henderson has led the side to Premier League, Champions League, Uefa Super Cup and Fifa World Club Cup titles.
It caps a remarkable transformation in fortunes for Henderson who initially struggled at Anfield following his move from Sunderland in 2011 and was almost sold to Fulham in 2012.
Liverpool end their season away to Newcastle United at St James’ Park on Sunday and will set a club-record of 99 points in a single season with a victory.
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