Henrikh Mkhitaryan received today the Footballer of the Year Award at a ceremony held at the Football Academy of Armenia.
“I’m glad to be named best footballer and I believe this will be an additional motivation for me to try my best to be honored with the price once again,” Mkhitaryan told reporters after the award ceremony.
“But I’m not playing for the sake of being named the best player, I’m playing for my nation and doing my best to make Armenia better known to the world. The best footballer’s title is a great honor for me, but it’s not a goal in itself,” he said.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan initially struggled to have much of an impact at Old Trafford, but has earned plenty of praise for his displays for Jose Mourinho’s men in the second half of the campaign.
“It’s impossible to achieve anything without overcoming difficulties. It was not very difficult for me, because I was confident I would have a chance and use it. I just worked hard and waited for my chance,” he said.
“Whether I’m considered an important and influential player for Manchester United is not that essential to me. I’m just doing my best to help the team and to be part of it,” Mkhitaryan added.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan is often seen as Armenia’s Ambassador to the world, but the player says it’s not a pressure on him. “I’m trying to think about the game, because if I start thinking what I can and should do for my country, I’ll forget about football. That’s why I focus more on my training, on my performance. Only through my good performance can I show the world what it means to be an Armenian and to present Armenia to the world,” he said.
Mkhitarayn missed Manchester United’s clash against Middlesbrough last Sunday. “I had a small injury that’s why I didn’t play a part in the match although I was on the bench.”
The Armenia captain said, however, he feels good and is fully ready for the upcoming clash against Kazakhstan.
This is the 7th time the Armenia captain wins Player of the Year award and the sixth in a row.
The Manchester United forward was named Armenia’s 2016 Footballer of the Year, collecting 245 points out of 250 possible.
Gevorg Ghazaryan, who plays for Portuguese Maritimo, came second with 56 points. Marcos Pizelli was placed third.
FC Shirak head coach Vardan Bichakhchyan was named Coach of the Year.
