Dele Alli wins Young Player of the Year: Why it's excellent news for Tottenham... but he might go Real Madrid
We take a look at what happened to the winners over the last 20 years and what it might mean for Alli
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Your support makes all the difference.Dele Alli was last night crowned the PFA Young Player of the Year.
The award recognises what has been the 20-year-old's breakthrough season following his move to Tottenham from MK Dons last year. Alli has scored 10 goals - a couple of them magnificent - and provided nine assists for a side still in with a chance of winning the Premier League title.
It's evident that Alli has already made a great contribution - but what does the future hold?
We've analysed the last 20 years of the PFA Young Player of the Year award to see if the 19 recipients over that time can offer any clues. Below we see what those winners went on to achieve and provide a percentage figure for each category considering how likely it is that Alli be equally successful.
PREMIER LEAGUE SUCCESS
Likelihood of winning title: 116 per cent
Among the 19 winners of the award over the last 20 years, a staggering 22 Premier League titles have been won. Of those, David Beckham, who won the PFA award in 1996/97, won the most with six during his time at Manchester United. In total nine players won the title.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SUCCESS
Likelihood of winning trophy: 42 per cent
Seven winners of the PFA award have gone on to lift the Champions League with Cristiano Ronaldo managing to do it twice. Eight successes in the most prestigious club tournament in football from 19 players is a great return.
FA CUP SUCCESS
Likelihood of winning trophy: 79 per cent
10 of the last 19 winners of the PFA award have won the oldest trophy in football with a few of them doing it multiple times. Nicolas Anelka, who won the PFA award in 1998/99, did it three times while Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Jack Wilshere have won it twice. In total there have been 15 wins.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Likelihood of win: 37 per cent
Five players have graduated from winning the Young Player award to the PFA Player of the Year, with those five players winning it a combined seven times. Ronaldo and Bale both won it twice before leaving for Real Madrid.
BALLON D'OR SUCCESS
Likelihood of winning: 11 per cent
Two previous winners of the PFA award went on to win the Ballon d'Or - the highest individual honour in football. Michael Owen won the prize in 2001, three years after winning the Young Player gong. Meanwhile Ronaldo has won the prize three times since winning the PFA award in 2006/07. Beckham once finished as the runner-up and Gerrard came third in 2005.
MOVING TO SPAIN
Likelihood of move to Real Madrid or Barcelona: 31 per cent
While our analysis suggests that winning the PFA Young Player of the Year award is a strong indicator of success in the future - both in terms of team and individual honours - a concern for Tottenham will be that Alli moves abroad. Of the 19 previous winners, six have joined Spain's big two - with five heading to Real Madrid. Beckham, Owen, Anelka, Ronaldo and Bale (as Spurs fan know only too well) moved to the Bernabeu while Fabregas switched to Barcelona.
WINNERS OF THE PFA YOUNG FOOTBALLER OF THE YEAR OVER LAST 20 YEARS...
1995–96 Robbie Fowler
1996–97 David Beckham
1997–98 Michael Owen
1998–99 Nicolas Anelka
1999–2000 Harry Kewell
2000–01 Steven Gerrard
2001–02 Craig Bellamy
2002–03 Jermaine Jenas
2003–04 Scott Parker
2004–05 Wayne Rooney
2005–06 Wayne Rooney
2006–07 Cristiano Ronaldo
2007–08 Cesc Fàbregas
2008–09 Ashley Young
2009–10 James Milner
2010–11 Jack Wilshere
2011–12 Kyle Walker
2012–13 Gareth Bale
2013–14 Eden Hazard
2014–15 Harry Kane
2015–16 Dele Alli
Went to Spain...
Beckham - Real Madrid
Owen - Real Madrid
Anelka - Real Madrid
Ronaldo - Real Madrid
Fabregas - Barcelona
Bale - Real Madrid
TOTAL - 6/19
PFA Player of Year winners...
Gerrard - 1
Rooney - 1
Ronaldo - 2
Bale - 2
Hazard - 1
TOTAL - 7 wins
Won the Premier League title...
Beckham - 6
Owen - 1
Anelka - 2
Rooney - 5
Ronaldo - 3
Fabregas - 1
Young - 1
Milner - 2
Hazard - 1
TOTAL - 22 titles
Won the FA Cup...
Fowler - 1
Beckham - 2
Owen - 1
Anelka - 3
Kewell - 1
Gerrard - 2
Ronaldo - 1
Fabregas - 1
Milner - 1
Wilshere - 2
TOTAL - 15 wins
Won the Champions League...
Beckham - 1
Anelka - 1
Kewell - 1
Gerrard - 1
Rooney - 1
Ronaldo - 2
Bale - 1
TOTAL - 8 wins
Won the Uefa Cup/Europa League...
Fowler - 1
Owen - 1
Gerrard - 1
Hazard - 1
TOTAL - 4 wins
Finished in Ballon d'Or top three...
Beckham
Owen
Gerrard
Ronaldo
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