PFA Player of the Year ***UPDATED***

Portuguese Manchester United winger, Christiano Ronaldo has retained the title of PFA Footballer of the Year, as voted for by footballers themselves. It hasn't been a great week for Ronaldo, having missed a penalty in the first leg of the Chap ions League Semi Final in Barcelona and losing to Chelsea in the Premier League That loss means Chelsea are only second place to United due to goal difference, with two games to go. That goal difference is partly down to the number of goals Ronaldo has scored, over taking George Best's number of goals for a winger in a United shirt, having put away 38 goals in all competitions this season (plus four for Portugal). He's been sensational but needs to show that he can handle the big games over the next couple of weeks. Well done.

Strangely he lost out in the Young Player of the Year category (which, at 23, he was eligible) to Cese Fabragas of Arsenal, who has had an amazing season too. Ronaldo becomes only the second person to win it two years running.

This is a list of the previous players awarded player of the year by the Professional Footballers' Association:

2008 Cristiano Ronaldo

2007 Cristiano Ronaldo

2006 Steven Gerrard

2005 John Terry

2004 Thierry Henry

2003 Thierry Henry

2002 Ruud van Nistelrooy

2001 Teddy Sheringham MBE

2000 Roy Keane

1999 David Ginola

1998 Dennis Bergkamp

997 Alan Shearer OBE

1996 Les Ferdinand MBE

1995 Alan Shearer OBE
1994 Eric Cantona

1993 Paul McGrath

1992 Gary Pallister
1991 Mark Hughes

1990 David Platt

1989 Mark Hughes

1988 John Barnes

1987 Clive Allen

1986 Gary Lineker

1985 Peter Reid

1984 Ian Rush
1983 Kenny Dalglish
1982 Kevin Keegan

1981 John Wark

1980 Terry McDermott

1979 Liam Brady
1978 Peter Shilton OBE

1977 Andy Gray
1976 Pat Jennings OBE
1975 Colin Todd

1974 Norman Hunter

It's an interesting lust in that it shows how the influx of foreign (not from the "home countries" proliferate after the start of the Premiership, starting with Cantona in 94.

***UPDATE***
30 April: Manchester United beat Barcelona 1-0 to go through to the Champions League final. Chelsea are playing Liverpool as I type. It's still 0-0 but Chelsea have the advantage of the away goal from the previous leg (1-1). The final will be the first all English file in the competion's history.

***UPDATE 2***

Chelsea went on to win 3-2 after it was 1-1 and went to extra time.