Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne captured the English football’s player of the year award. He became the first City player to receive the award after scoring 13 goals and making a record-tying assists last season.
The Belgian credited manager Pep Guardiola for giving him the freedom to be creative.
“Most of the time he just lets me be me,” De Bruyne said of Guardiola.
“We speak often about the team but in a lot of senses he knows when he gives the orders of what the team has to do that I will listen.”
“But then on the other side, he gives me a lot of freedom; I don’t know why, that’s just the way it goes between us. He knows in one way I will always put the team first and then obviously if I can help myself I’m going to do that.”
“It’s maybe strange that I’m the first one at City,” De Bruyne said, “seeing all the good players who played there before and who are still playing. But it’s nice to represent the club.”