Lewandowski was named FIFA World Player of the Year for the second time in a row
Bayern Munich and Poland star Robert Lewandowski won the FIFA Men’s Football Player of the Year award this year, while Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo won the FIFA Special Award.
Lewandowski, 33, won the FIFA Player of the Year award for the second year in a row after scoring 69 goals.
The International Federation of the Game awarded Ronaldo his special award for his historic achievement, as he scored the largest number of goals in the history of men’s football.
Alexia Putillas also won the FIFA Women’s Player of the Year award this year.
Lewandowski broke the record of 49-year-old Gerd Muller, having scored the most goals in the Bundesliga in a single season. The number recorded in the name of Muller reached 43 goals in 34 matches.
Thomas Tuchel, Chelsea coach, won the FIFA Men’s Coach of the Year award this year after leading the blue team to the second European Champions League title, which is a major achievement in light of his taking over the team’s affairs in January 2021.
Former Tottenham player Eric Lamela, who moved to Sevilla last summer, won the FIFA Puskas Award, the award given to the best goal of the year, after Rabona’s shot against Arsenal, Tottenham’s traditional opponent in north London, last March. .
Chelsea goalkeeper Edward Mendy was named FIFA’s best goalkeeper after his first season with the team, in which he achieved remarkable success, including keeping a clean sheet in the Champions League final against Manchester City, which ended with Chelsea winning 1-0.
The Danish national football team was crowned with the FIFA Fair Play Award for the speed of response after the national team player Christian Eriksen fell on the field and stopped his heart in the opening match of the European Nations Championship Euro 2020.
Continuing the night of Chelsea’s success, women’s football coach Emma Hayes was named Women’s Football Coach of the Year after winning two national championships.
At the level of international awards, FIFA chose Manchester City players Robin Diaz and Kevin De Bruyne, Chelsea players N’Golo Kante and Jorginho, and Ronaldo in the world team for the year 2021.
The squad for the world team, chosen by the International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFApro), this year includes: Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan – Paris Saint-Germain – Italy national team), David Alaba (Bayern Munich – Real Madrid – Austria national team), and Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus). – Italy national team), Robin Diaz (Man City – Portugal national team), Kevin De Bruyne (Man City – Belgium national team), Jorginho (Chelsea – Italy national team), N’Golo Kante (Chelsea – France national team) and Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus – Man United – Portugal national team, Erling Braut Haaland (Borussia Dortmund – Norway), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich – Poland), Lionel Messi (Barcelona – Paris Saint-Germain – Argentina).
picture released, Getty Images
Ronaldo hopes to continue playing for “four or five” years
The Polish striker will not be lucky to win the Ballon d’Or award given to Messi for the seventh time in a row last November, but may be his consolation in winning the award for the best player in the world from FIFA for the second year in a row.
Lewandowski said in a video posted after receiving the award that he had not dreamed of breaking the record for Mueller, who died in 2021.
“If you had asked me a few years ago, I would have answered that it was impossible to break this record and score so many goals,” he added.
“But he (Muller) is not with us now, and I thank him because this new record would not have been achieved without him. He scored a lot of goals – for the generations of players that came after him, everyone was trying to break his record.”
Ronaldo hopes to continue playing for “four or five” years
Although this was the first time that the name of Ronaldo, who won the title of the best player in the world from FIFA twice, was removed from the shortlist for the award since its launch, the Manchester United star is no longer empty-handed to be a night of his success as well after obtaining Received the special award from FIFA after breaking the record of the Iranian player Ali Dayi, who scored 109 goals for his country.
The captain of the Portugal national team, 36, set a new record after scoring 115 goals in 184 matches in which he wore the national team shirt.
In an interview he gave during the award ceremony for the FIFA Best Awards in Zurich, Ronaldo described the award as “expensive”.
“I never thought I would break the record,” said the Man United star. “I am very proud and this is a special award from FIFA, the organization I respect a lot.”
He added, “I am really proud of this great achievement. I still have a passion for the game. Not only to score goals, but to enjoy playing as well.”
He continued, “When I go out to the field, even during training, I feel the same enthusiasm. I will reach the age of 37 soon, but I feel fine and I want to continue playing.”
He said, “People ask me how many years I have left on the field, to which I answer that I want to play for four or five years because it is about the mentality. If you treat your body well, you will find it when you need it.”
The full list of the best prizes
Best Men’s Football Player in the World 2021: Robert Lewandowski
Best Men’s Football Coach in the World 2021: Thomas Tuchel
Best Men’s Goalkeeper in the World 2021: Edward Mendy
2021 FIFA Special Award: Cristiano Ronaldo
Puskas Prize 2021: Erik Lamela
Best FIFA Fan Award 2021: Denmark and Finland
Fair Play Award 2021: Denmark national team – Medical staff of Denmark national team – coaching staff of Denmark
Women’s Footballer of the Year 2021: Alexia Alexia Putillas
Women’s Football Coach of the Year 2021: Emma Hayes
Best Women’s Goalkeeper in the World 2021: Christina Endler
FIFA Special Award: Christina Sinclair.