Lewandowski wins FIFA best player award

LONDON, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) — Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski won the best FIFA men’s player award on Thursday, beating the other two finalists Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony was held as a virtual event at the headquarters of FIFA in Zurich, Switzerland.

Lewandowski, 32, was named the best FIFA men’s player for the first time after an outstanding season with the German giants.

Scoring 55 goals in 47 games last season, the Poland international inspired Bayern Munich to a domestic and European clean sweep and topped the scoring charts in both the Bundesliga and the UEFA Champions League.

England defender Lucy Bronze won the best women’s player award after defeating Denmark’s Pernille Harder and Wendie Renard of France.

Bronze, 29, returned to Manchester City this summer after three years at Lyon, where she won three Champion League titles and three French league titles.

Germany’s Jurgen Klopp was named the best men’s coach for the second consecutive year after leading Liverpool to win England’s top-flight league for the first time in 30 years.

Netherlands women’s national team coach Sarina Wiegman claimed the best women’s coach. The 51-year-old will take charge of the England women’s team next year.

In other awards, Lewandowski’s club teammate Manuel Neuer was named the best men’s goalkeeper, while Lyon goalkeeper Sara Bouhaddi won the women’s award.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Son Heung-min won the Puskas Award for the best goal as the South Korean striker ran almost the full length of the pitch to score against Burnley in last season’s Premier League. Enditem