Robert Lewandowski, Bayern Munich’s record-breaking attacker, retained FIFA’s top men’s player title on Monday at “The Best.” “Barcelona captain Alexia Putellas accepted the award for best female player at the 2021 ceremony.
Last season, the 33-year-old Lewandowski established a Bundesliga goal record and won the prize over Argentine Lionel Messi of PSG and Egyptian Mohamed Salah of Liverpool.
“I’m ecstatic and honoured to receive this accolade, and I’m really proud of myself,” says the winner “In the 2020-2021 season, Lewandowski scored 48 goals for his club and country.
Lewandowski scored three times for Bayern at the weekend taking his 2021-2022 season tally to 39 goals in 33 matches.
The title was some consolation for the Polish striker, who had lost out to Messi in November for the older and more prestigious Ballon d’Or.
Putellas won the award for the second year in a row, defeating Barcelona teammate Jennifer Hermoso and Chelsea’s Australian striker Sam Kerr, just as she did for the Ballon d’Or.
The 27-year-old midfielder had a fantastic season with Barcelona in 2020-2021, helping the Catalans to a league and cup double, as well as the Champions League.
“This trophy belongs to everyone on the team,” says the narrator “Putellas said. “The trophy will serve as an encouragement to all of us.””
However, no Barcelona player was among the best starting women’s eleven.
Cristiano Ronaldo received the Special Award for achieving a new record for most international goals scored for his country, surpassing Ali Daei’s previous mark of 109 for Iran.
Ronaldo, 36, has 115 goals in 184 games for Portugal since making his debut at the age of 18 in 2003.
“I never expected to break this record, and I owe it to my teammates over the last 20 years,” added Ronaldo, who also has 140 Champions League goals to his credit.
The goalkeeping accolades went to Chelsea’s Senegalese goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and Lyon’s Christiane Endler.
Thomas Tuchel and Emma Hayes won both coaching prizes for Chelsea.
“At the end of the day, the coach is only as good as the people they have around them,” Hayes said, whose team lost in the Women’s Champions League final but won the Super League and League Cup.
Tuchel arrived at Chelsea midway through the season and turned around a struggling team into a merciless unit that won the prestigious Champions League.
“I’m completely overwhelmed,” Tuchel added. “I like it here; it’s a good match.”
“I’m grateful to be surrounded by such encouraging individuals and to be in such a competitive group.”
For his spectacular rabona strike for Spurs in the North London derby, Erik Lamela, now of Sevilla, earned the best goal award.
The “fair-play” award went to Denmark’s medical team and players, who had to deal with Christian Eriksen’s collapse on the pitch during the Euro.