Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski has been named FIFA Player of the Year, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
The Best FIFA Football Awards were held this evening in a virtual event due to the COVID pandemic, hosted in Zurich by former Milan star Ruud Gullit.
Juventus forward Ronaldo was short-listed for the Men’s Player of the Year Award with Barcelona’s Messi and Lewandowski, but the Poland international was always the favourite after Bayern Munich won all five trophies last season.
Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski has been named FIFA Player of the Year, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
The Best FIFA Football Awards were held this evening in a virtual event due to the COVID pandemic, hosted in Zurich by former Milan star Ruud Gullit.
Juventus forward Ronaldo was short-listed for the Men’s Player of the Year Award with Barcelona’s Messi and Lewandowski, but the Poland international was always the favourite after Bayern Munich won all five trophies last season.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino somewhat gave away the result an hour early when Bild noted he was not in Zurich, but rather in Munich to personally hand over the award.
Lewandowski had also been the favourite for the Ballon d’Or, but France Football decided not to assign it for 2020.
He was in the running for the Golden Shoe award as top scorer in European league football for 2019-20, but was pipped to the post by Lazio hitman Ciro Immobile.
The Bayern trend was somewhat bucked by Jurgen Klopp, who won the Coach of the Year award for the second season in a row for Liverpool’s Premier League triumph, beating Hansi Flick and Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa.
There was an Italian winner, Mattia Agnese taking the FIFA Fair Play Award, as while playing for Ospedaletti, the teenager saved the life of an opponent who had lost consciousness following a clash of heads.
Barbara Bonansea of Juventus and Italy also made it into the Women’s World XI.
The Best Awards
Men’s Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich and Poland)
Men’s Goalkeeper: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich and Germany)
Men’s Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Men’s World XI: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Sergio Ramos, Van Dijk, Davies; De Bruyne, Thiago Alcantara, Kimmich; Messi, Lewandowski, Ronaldo
Women’s Player of the Year: Lucy Bronze (Manchester City and England)
Women’s Goalkeeper: Sarah Bouhaddi (Lyon and France)
Women’s Coach: Sarina Wiegman (Netherlands)
Women’s World XI: Endler; Bronze, Renard, Bright; Rapinoe, Heath, Boquete, Bonansea, Harder; Miedema, Cascarino
FIFA Puskas Award: Heung-min Son (Tottenham v Burnley)
FIFA Foundation Award: Marcus Rashford for child food poverty campaign