Players again vote Ibrahimovic as Ligue 1's best
REUTERS - Zlatan Ibrahimovic was named the Ligue 1 Player of the Year on Sunday, after he won the vote of his fellow professionals in the French game for the third time in the last four years.
The 34-year-old Swede becomes the first man ever to win the UNFP award three times after another stellar season in which the Paris St. Germain striker was the league's top marksman, scoring 35 goals in 29 games.
His brilliant form was instrumental in helping PSG to their fourth consecutive title, which they clinched in record time.
Ibrahimovic, whose contract ends this summer, previously wonthe award in 2013 and 2014, but lost out to Olympique Lyonnais striker Alexandre Lacazette last season.
This season, he saw off competition from fellow nominees Lassana Diarra, of Olympique de Marseille, Hatem Ben Arfa, of Nice, and team mate Angel Di Maria.
Ibrahimovic and Di Maria are among eight PSG players whoalso made the Ligue 1 Team of the Year, while their title-winning boss Laurent Blanc was named Coach of the Year during the awards ceremony in Paris on Sunday.
Ousmane Dembele, of Stade Rennes, won the Young Player prizewhile the Goalkeeper of the Year award went to Marseille's Steven Mandanda, who claimed the title for the fourth time.
(Writing by Ed Dove, editing by Ian Chadband)