Premiership: Hyypia collects Finland award

Liverpool's Sami Hyypia has been named Finland's Sports Person of the Year.

He is only the second person in the history of the award to win having played in a team sport.

The inspirational defender was the unanimous choice of both the Finnish sportswriters and the general public.

He was also named in Finland's Team of the Year by the Finnish Football Association and by the nation's sports reporters.

"Sami was an easy winner this year as a result of what he has achieved with Liverpool," Timo Walden, media director for the Finnish national team told the club's official website www.liverpoolfc.tv.

"He is only the second team player in the history of this award to collect the most votes - ironically, his Liverpool team-mate Jari Litmanen was the first."