Samir Nasri voted best French player of the year

Samir Nasri has been named French Footballer of the Year, seeing off the challenge of Florent Malouda and Hugo Lloris.

The Arsenal man was overlooked by his country for the 2010 World Cup, but has starred for the Gunners domestically this season.

Nasri's absence from Les Bleus' farcical showing in South Africa may have worked in his favour, as he was not tarred with the same brush as his national colleagues.

His fine form in the 2010/11 campaign has catapulted him back into the France set-up, though, and Laurent Blanc is keen to build his new-look side around him.

Faith

That show of faith comes as no surprise, as the 23-year-old playmaker has already scored eight Premier League goals this term, six more than he managed in the whole of last season.

Nasri's efforts have now been rewarded by the Paris weekly France Football, with the Arsenal star edging Chelsea winger Malouda into second and Lyon keeper Lloris into third.

Former stars such as Blanc, Raymond Kopa, Marius Tresor, Alain Giresse and Jean Tigana all voted for Nasri as their top man, but Uefa president Michel Platini refused to cast a vote, saying: "The best French players were in South Africa but, after events there, none of them deserves inclusion in a role of honour including names as prestigious as Kopa, Gondet, Carnus, Tresor and Blanc."

Elsewhere, Marseille boss Didier Deschamps scooped the Coach of the Year award, Paris St Germain's Brazilian winger Nene was named Foreign Player of the Year and Rennes midfielder Yann Mvila landed the Young Player of the Year prize.*

Source: SkySports.com