London: Frank Lampard has been voted England Player of the Year for 2005, beating Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney in a poll conducted via the Football Association website.
Chelsea midfielder Lampard was the clear winner with 29 percent, Gerrard and Rooney second and third with 18 and 16 percent of the vote respectively.
England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson described Lampard as "one of the most improved players I have seen in the last few years."
The Swede told www.thefa.com: "I think the fans must have had a very hard time choosing because we are lucky enough to have a number of really outstanding individual players. But you can't argue with their choice," he added on Wednesday.
"Frank has had an excellent football education both from his family (his father, Frank Lampard senior played for West Ham) and from West Ham and Chelsea.
"You can see that intelligence not only in the way he plays on the pitch but also when you talk to him tactically. He is one of the most improved players that I have seen in the last few years. He gets better and better all the time."
And Eriksson said he was looking forward to seeing Lampard star at this year's World Cup finals in Germany in June and July.
"Above everything, though, Frank is a very good professional. He has been brilliant for us in 2005. He is a complete midfielder. Hopefully he will be as brilliant as he can for us in the summer."
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