Robert Lewandowski And Lucy Bronze Win Best FIFA ‘Players Of The Year’

Robert Lewandowski and Lucy Bronze were respectively named as the best men and women players at the Best FIFA Football Awards on Thursday.

Bayern Munich striker Lewandowski has ended Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s bid for the men’s title.

Lewandowski’s Performance

The forward has been in frightening form over the last year, scoring 55 goals and firing Bayern Munich to an impressive treble last season.

He was widely believed to be winning the Ballon d’Or this year before it was wiped out in the midst of the pandemic.

Lewandowski has continued his form, since the start of the 2019/20 season, scoring 73 goals in 64 club games – 22 more than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues.

“This award is for my teammates, the coach and Bayern Munich in general. It’s an amazing feeling, a lot of emotion,” he said.

“If you win an award like this and share this title with Messi and Ronaldo, that is unbelievable and means a lot to me. In the past, I remember I was looking forward to something like this and now I can get such an award.”

Lucy’s Mastery Was Also Displayed

Manchester City’s Bronze has been named the best female player of the year, becoming the first defender to do so.

Bronze won the league title, home trophy and Champions League with Lyon last year before returning to England at the start of the new season.

The England international has beaten Chelsea’s Pernille Harder and Lyon’s Wendie Renard.

“It’s amazing. The nomination and even the other two players, are incredible players and famous people,” Bronze said in a video clip.

“I don’t think I have words right now to describe how I feel. If there is anything 2020 has taught us to be happy every moment you have, never look too far ahead and stay in the ears of the present and the present,” he said. “I will be happy to win this award now more than ever, and I will remember this moment for the rest of my life.”

The awards honor the achievements made between July 20, 2019, and October 7, 2020. Voting is divided between team captains, national team coaches, fans and 200 journalists.

Other Winners

Meanwhile, Jurgen Klopp has been named the men’s coach of the year after scoring Liverpool’s first league title in 30 years last season – with a club record of 99 points.

He beat Bayern Munich manager Hans-Dieter Flick and Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa.

Many were expecting Flick to take the trophy after guiding Bayern to victory in the Bundesliga, Champions League, German Cup, German Super Cup and UEFA Super Cup last year.

Netherlands manager Sarina Wiegman has won the Women’s Coach of the Year award after turning the national team’s fortunes into a 2019 World Cup – the 10th undefeated game.

Among other things, Bayern’s Manuel Neuer was named the best men’s goalkeeper and Sarah Bouhaddi of Lyon took home the Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award.