David Beckham revealed his admiration for "special" duo N'Golo Kante and Dele Alli after they were respectively named the Professional Footballers' Association player and young player of the year.

Both midfielders have excelled to the same extent they did during the 2015-16 season, in which Alli was also named the young player of the year and Kante was hugely influential in Leicester unexpectedly winning the Premier League title.

France's Kante has since joined Chelsea, who are favourites to finish first this season but remain under pressure from Tottenham, where Alli is perhaps the most important player, and Beckham spoke of how impressed he is by both.

The former England captain, 41, received the PFA's merit award for his achievements for club and country, and discussing the impression Kante had made on him he said: "He's a special talent.

"What I like about him - actually what I love about him - (is) he plays the game in such a humble way.

"He works hard, he can pass the ball, he can tackle, he can score goals.

"To have won the Premier League the way he did last season with Leicester was special, and the position Chelsea are in at the moment - if they go on to win the title it'll be a special couple of years for him.

"We'll see what happens towards the end of the season, but he's a special talent, and to be the man mountain that he is, and the size he is, says a lot about him."

Alli is potentially even on course to become English football's talisman, as Beckham was during his peak with Manchester United and England, and asked of the 21-year-old, he said: "Again, special player.

PFA Team of the Year Show all 11 1 /11 PFA Team of the Year PFA Team of the Year David De Gea (Manchester United) MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - APRIL 16: David de Gea of Manchester United celebrates after the Premier League match between Manchester United and Chelsea at Old Trafford on April 16, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Tom Purslow/Man Utd via Getty Images) Man Utd via Getty Images PFA Team of the Year Kyle Walker (Tottenham) LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 15: Kyle Walker of Tottenham Hotspur shows appreciation to the fans after the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and AFC Bournemouth at White Hart Lane on April 15, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images) Getty PFA Team of the Year Gary Cahill (Chelsea) PFA Team of the Year David Luiz (Chelsea) MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - APRIL 16: David Luiz of Chelsea looks on during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Chelsea at Old Trafford on April 16, 2017 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images) Getty Images PFA Team of the Year Danny Rose (Tottenham) SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 28: Danny Rose of Tottenham Hotspur celebrates as Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur scores their fourth goal during the Premier League match between Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur at St Mary's Stadium on December 28, 2016 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) Getty Images PFA Team of the Year N'Golo Kante (Chelsea) STOKE ON TRENT, ENGLAND - MARCH 18: N'Golo Kante of Chelsea in action during the Premier League match between Stoke City and Chelsea at Bet365 Stadium on March 18, 2017 in Stoke on Trent, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images) Getty Images PFA Team of the Year Dele Alli (Tottenham) Getty PFA Team of the Year Eden Hazard (Chelsea) Chelsea's Belgian midfielder Eden Hazard runs with the ball during the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Manchester City at Stamford Bridge in London on April 5, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Adrian DENNIS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images PFA Team of the Year Sadio Mane (Liverpool) Liverpool's Senegalese midfielder Sadio Mane celebrates after scoring the opening goal of the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on April 1, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / Paul ELLIS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images) AFP/Getty Images PFA Team of the Year Romelu Lukaku (Everton) LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - APRIL 09: Romelu Lukaku of Everton celebrates scoring his team's fourth goal during the Premier League match between Everton and Leicester City at Goodison Park on April 9, 2017 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Getty Images PFA Team of the Year Harry Kane (Tottenham) LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 08: Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur looks on during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Watford at White Hart Lane on April 8, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images) Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty I

"We're lucky as a nation to have young talented players coming through, and he is without doubt one of the shining lights of these young players.

"He plays the game with a certain arrogance, and it's good to have that arrogance, because a lot of top players have that. They play in a way where you expect great things from them, and the last couple of seasons he's produced those things.

Kante was honoured for his excellent form for Chelsea this season (Getty) (Getty Images)

"He's a joy to watch. He's a player that hopefully, if he works hard like he has been working hard, and continues to play for the manager (of Tottenham, Mauricio Pochettino) that he's played for - because I think he's a special manager, and he's looking after him in the right way - he's a special player.

"I hope he continues to get better week after week, because as an England fan, we want to see these players perform the way he's performing."

Dele Alli was named Young Player of the Year for the second time (Getty)

At the awards ceremony in central London, Manchester City's Lucy Bronze was named the women's player of the year, and Birmingham's Jess Carter was named the women's young player of the year.

The retired Kelly Smith, who won the quadruple of a League Cup, FA Cup, Premier League and Uefa Cup with Arsenal in 2007, received the PFA's special achievement Iaward.