De Bruyne bidding to win England's player award for third time

De Bruyne was on a six-man shortlist for the award alongside Sadio Mane, Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah, Harry Kane and Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo.

Manchester City talisman Kevin de Bruyne has won the prestigious award, voted by the players, in 2020 and 2021. (File Photo)

Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne is in contention to win English football's Player of the Year award for the third straight season.

De Bruyne was on a six-man shortlist for the award announced Wednesday, alongside Liverpool trio Sadio Mane, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, Tottenham striker Harry Kane and Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo.

City was outnumbered by Liverpool on the shortlist despite beating its rival to the Premier League title to retain the trophy.

De Bruyne won the prestigious award, voted by the players, in 2020 and 2021. Van Dijk and Salah won it the years before that.

The shortlist for the women’s Player of the Year award consisted of Chelsea duo Pernille Harder and Sam Kerr, Arsenal pair Vivianne Miedema and Kim Little and Manchester City's Alex Greenwood and Lauren Hemp.