Toni Kroos has been named German Footballer of the Year by sports writers in his homeland.
The Real Madrid star was given 185 of the 475 votes cast to ensure he won the award devised by the Association of German Sports Journalists (VDS), in conjunction with football magazine Kicker.
The midfielder played a crucial role in helping his club win their third successive Champions League title by beating Liverpool 3-1 in the final in May.
Although Kroos was part of Germany’s dismal World Cup campaign where they were knocked out at the group stage, he performed quite well compared to the rest of the squad, scoring a brilliant stoppage-time winner against Sweden in their second game.
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Freiburg striker Nils Peterson finish second with 39 votes, while Schalke defender Naldo came third.
On winning the award, Kroos told Kicker: “It is and always will be an honour to be Footballer of the Year.
“This is a prize that is not easy to get, and not everyone gets.”
Former Bayern Munich boss Jupp Heynckes won the Coach of the Year award, gaining two more votes on Schalke boss Domenico Tedesco.
Heynckes took charge of Bayern for a second time last October – stepping in for Carlo Ancelotti – and helped guide the club to its sixth straight Bundesliga crown ahead of Schalke in second.
The 73-year-old said: “I am very pleased that I have been voted Coach of the Year by journalists.
“My big compliment goes to those who did not vote for me because there are many good young coaches in the Bundesliga who also deserve this honour.”