Robert Lewandowski, Poland and Bayern Munich striker, defended his FIFA's Best Men's Player of the Year title Monday night. The 33-year-old claimed FIFA's top prize for the second consecutive year after scoring 69 goals in 2021. (More Football News)
Lewandowski beat off competition from Argentina captain and Paris Saint-Germain superstar Lionel Messi and Liverpool's Egyptian Mohamed Salah to The Best FIFA Men’s Player award.
The former Borussia Dortmund star led Bayern's German Bundesliga title defence. He was also instrumental in Bayern winning the FIFA Club World Cup as the 2019–20 Champions League winners. Bayern also won the German Super Cup in 2021.
Lewandowski, who broke the late Gerd Muller's 49-year record for scoring the most Bundesliga goals in a calendar year with 43, was overlooked for Ballon d'Or as Messi collected it for a record-extending seventh time last November.
In the women's section, Spain and Barcelona midfielder Alexia Putellas took the top honours as the 27-year-old make a double with Ballon d'Or. She captained the Catalans to a treble last season and was also the highest-scoring midfielder in Europe with 18 goals in 31 games.
Champions League holders Chelsea however won the most awards in the night as FIFA hosted the virtual event from its home in Zurich.
Chelsea FC Women manager Emma Hayes was voted The Best FIFA Women’s Coach for the first time in her career, a feat that was matched by her Chelsea FC counterpart, Thomas Tuchel, who topped the poll for The Best FIFA Men’s Coach.
Senegal shot-stopper Edouard Mendy made it a hat-trick for the London club by being chosen as The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper, becoming the first African to win the accolade, while Chile and Olympique Lyonnais’ Christiane Endler was named The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper.
Portugal and Manchester United great Cristiano Ronaldo, who missed the three-man shortlist for the best player award, was honoured with a special award for being the men's international all-time top scorer. He now has 115 international goals.
Argentina and Sevilla midfielder Erik Lamela won the FIFA Puskas Award for the best goal for his rabona in Tottenham shirt against Arsenal in the north London derby in March 2021. Watch that outrageous goal here:
Denmark and Finland fans won the FIFA Fan Award for banding "together in an emotional tribute" after Christian Eriksen’s collapse during a UEFA EURO 2020 match at Copenhagen’s Parken Stadium.
Denmark national team won the FIFA Fair Play Award for giving Eriksen "immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), forming a circle to shield him from cameras and comforting his wife and family."
Here are the FIFA FIFPRO World 11s:
Men's: Goalkeeper - Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan/Paris Saint-Germain); Defenders - David Alaba (Bayern Munich/Real Madrid), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus FC), Ruben Dias (Manchester City); Midfielders - Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City), Jorginho (Chelsea), N’Golo Kante (Chelsea); Forwards - Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus/Manchester United), Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich) and Lionel Messi (Barcelona/Paris Saint-Germain)
Women's: Goalkeeper - Christiane Endler (Paris Saint-Germain/Olympique Lyonnais); Defenders - Millie Bright (Chelsea), Lucy Bronze (Manchester City), Magdalena Eriksson (Chelsea), Wendie Renard (Olympique Lyonnais); Midfielders - Estefania Banini (Levante UD/Atletico de Madrid), Barbara Bonansea (Juventus) and Carli Lloyd (NJ/NY Gotham); Forwards - Marta (Orlando Pride), Vivianne Miedema (Arsenal), Alex Morgan (Tottenham/Orlando Pride/San Diego Wave)
The winners of The Best player, goalkeeper and coach awards were determined through a voting process in which four groups had an equal say: football fans, selected media representatives, and the captains and head coaches of national teams from around the globe.
