Mahrez Pays Tribute To Team-Mates After Awards Win

- The winger says he couldn’t have achieved anything without the help of the team 

- Mahrez becomes the first Leicester City player to win the award as well as the first African player to do so

- The winger has scored 17 goals and contributed 11 assists this team 

After becoming the first Leicester City player to be Riyad Mahrez paid tribute to his team-mates for helping him succeed. 

The Algerian international has been in mesmerising form this campaign for the Foxes, with a stunning 17 goals and 11 assists to his name in the Barclays Premier League. 

That tally has helped propel Claudio Ranieri’s side to the top of the table and it’s those performances that have seen him recognised by his fellow professionals as the league’s best player for 2015/16. 

Team-mates Jamie Vardy and N’Golo Kanté were also on the six-man shortlist along with West Ham’s Dimitri Payet, Tottenham’s Harry Kane and Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil, but it was Mahrez who walked away with the night’s top honour. 

Speaking to afterwards, Mahrez said: “I’m feeling good. I’m very grateful to receive this award, it’s a pleasure. 

“It means if they (fellow players) vote for me they have seen how I have played this year, so I’m happy but it’s more a team thing because without my team-mates I wouldn’t get this award.” 

Not only was Mahrez the first Leicester City player to take the award, but he’s also the first African player ever to receive the honour – news which came as a surprise to the man himself given how many big names have starred in the league. 

“I didn’t know that,” he said. “There have been some big African players in the Premier League. [Didier] Drogba never won it? Well it’s a big honour to be the first African, not the best but the first, so I’m very happy.” 

Mahrez was also named in the PFA Team of the Season along with Wes Morgan, Vardy and Kante, while to mark his record run of scoring in 11 consecutive Premier League games.