Southampton’s Ryan Bertrand Explains Why He Voted For N’Golo Kante For PFA Player Of The Year

Ryan Bertrand revealed he voted for Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante for the Professional Footballers’ Association Men’s Player of the Year Award, and the Southampton defender has explained why.

Ryan Bertrand voted for Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante for pfa player of the year

Kante, a 26-year-old French star, beat out other top European players like Romelu Lukaku, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Alexis Sanchez and his Chelsea team-mate Eden Hazard to win the award at a ceremony in London on Sunday night.

The Men’s PFA Players’ Player of of the Year goes to….@ChelseaFC‘s @nglkante! Congratulations! #PFAawards pic.twitter.com/fK64Op8MVH

— PFA (@PFA) April 23, 2017

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Hazard was among the favorites to win the prize, but Bertrand — who joined Southampton from Chelsea in 2015 — says Kante deserves the PFA Award the most because he is “amazing.”

Southampton will face Chelsea in Tuesday’s Premier League game at Stamford Bridge.

“I voted for Kante,” Bertrand told Goal at the Champions UK’s FIFA 17 tournament. “I think he is a great player. He has gone into Chelsea’s team and he’s done amazing and proved to be key to them.

“I thought Hazard would naturally grab the plaudits for scoring the goals. That’s what goals and assists do. They grab the minds of people but want Kante has done is amazing. It is great for him to get that recognition.”

Bertrand continued praising Kante: “He has managed to attract people’s eyes despite playing in that defensive position this year, so I think he deserves it.”

The young French player is the most defensive player to win the PFA Award since Bertrand’s former teammate and center-back John Terry, who is still the captain of Chelsea.

Kante, who signed a five-year, £30 million ($39.5 million) contract with Chelsea in a move from Leicester City last July, tweeted his gratitude to Chelsea and to his fans after winning the award:

So proud for such a honour! So amazing. As I always said, it’s a team work: thx to my teammates, @ChelseaFC members and all the fans. pic.twitter.com/4tQXf1ROXH

— N’Golo Kanté (@nglkante) April 23, 2017

Kante helped France reach the Euro 2016 finals last July, when the hosts lost to Portugal in the title game in Paris.

Other PFA winners on Sunday included Tottenham’s Dele Alli, who won the Young Player of the Year Award, while Manchester City’s Lucy Bronze won the Women’s Player of the Year Award for the second time after first claiming the prize in 2014.