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The Portuguese, who was voted World Footballer of the Year in January, is one of five Manchester United nominees, a reflection on a season that could end with Alex Ferguson's side collecting five trophies.
Central defensive partnership Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic are in contention for the award voted for by their fellow professionals while Ryan Giggs and goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar are also nominated.
The 35-year-old Giggs, who has never won the award, has been in sparkling form for United as they aim to add the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup to the Fifa Club World Cup and English League Cup trophies they have already won.
Dutchman Van der Sar managed a record 14 consecutive league clean sheets earlier this season.
Title-chasing Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, who won the vote in 2006, completes the list of six.
The nominations for the Young Player of the Year feature a trio of young England internationals in Aston Villa's Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young and Tottenham Hotspur winner Aaron Lennon. Manchester United's Jonny Evans and Raphael and Manchester City's Stephen Ireland complete the list.
