Boussoufa voted Belgium's finest again

RSC Anderlecht's Mbark Boussoufa has retained his crown as Belgium's Professional Footballer of the Year after being honoured for the second season in succession by his peers in the country's top flight.

The 25-year-old attacking midfielder finished ahead of Anderlecht team-mate Romelu Lukaku and Arsenal FC defender Thomas Vermaelen to claim the award for the third time in total after first securing it in 2006 when with KAA Gent.

The Amsterdam-born Moroccan international now shares the record of three trophies with Jan Ceulemans, Pär Zetterberg and Marc Degryse. "This third one tastes the sweetest as now we have also become champions," said Boussoufa, who played a major part in Anderlecht's 30th Belgian championship this season with 14 goals from midfield.

"Because we performed well as a team this year it was easier to get to the top as an individual," he added. "The special thing about this award is that your colleagues elect you and they know best."

Les Mauves coach Ariël Jacobs was elected Coach of the Year while Lukaku finished as the league's top goalscorer with 15 efforts, becoming the youngest ever recipient of the award at the age of 16.

Simon Mignolet of K. Sint-Truidense VV was voted Goalkeeper of the Year, while Frank De Bleeckere was awarded Referee of the Year for the fifth time in his career and the first since 2002/03.