The Best FIFA Football Awards: Lewandowski beats Messi, Ronaldo to Best Men's Player award
Follow all the updates from The Best FIFA Football Awards 2020. This year's event will be virtual owing to the coronavirus pandemic.
Published : Dec 17, 2020 23:01 IST
| Hello and welcome to Sportstar 's coverage of the The Best FIFA Football Awards 2020. |
That's it from our side. Good Night!
The awards ceremony concludes with messages from coaches across the world. Takeaways from the night:
- A good night for Bayern Munich, with honours for Manuel Neuer and Robert Lewandowski and a good number making it to the FIFA FIFPro Men's World XI
- Jurgen Klopp won his second consecutive Best Men's coach of the Year award. Hansi Flick, who led Bayern to a treble missed out, sparking a debate on social media.
- - The Women's World XI has sparked discussions of legacy vs form, with social media discussing the inclusion of Megan Rapinoe and the absence of Best Goalkeeper of the Year Sarah Bouhaddi in the XI.
- The ceremony paid tribute to Diego Maradona, Paulo Rossi - two legends of the game the world lost in 2020.
- COVID-19 relief efforts and crucial charity work, including community efforts by players like Manchester United's Marcus Rashford were honoured and supported.
Here's the full list of winners:
Categories and Winners: Men’s Player: Robert Lewandowski (Poland/Bayern Munich) Women’s Player: Lucy Bronze (England/Lyon) Women’s Coach: Sarina Wiegman (The Netherlands) Men’s Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool) Women’s Goalkeeper: Sarah Bouhaddi (France/Lyon) Men’s Goalkeeper: Manuel Neuer (Germany/Bayern Munich) FIFPRO Women’s World11: Christiane Endler (Chile) (GK); Lucy Bronze (England), Wendie Renard (France), Millie Bright (England), Delphine Cascarino (France); Barbara Bonansea(Italy), Veronica Boquete(Italy), Megan Rapinoe (USA); Pernille Harder(Denmark), Vivianne Miedema(Netherlands), Tobin Heath(USA). FIFPRO Men’s World11: Alisson Becker (Brazil) (GK); Trent-Alexander Arnold (England), Sergio Ramos (Spain), Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands), Alphoso Davies (Canada); Kevin de Bruyne (Belgium), Thiago Alcantara (Spain), Joshua Kimmich (Germany); Lionel Messi (Argentina), Robert Lewandowski (Poland), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) FIFA Puskás Award: Son Heung-Min (Tottenham vs Burnley) FIFA Fair Play Award: Italy's Mattia Agnese, 17, who helped an opponent who lost consciousness during a game. FIFA Fan Award: Marivaldo Francisco da Silva, a super fan of Brazilian club Sport Club do Recife, who has never missed a home game and takes a 60-kilometre walk to reach the club's stadium for every game. |
- Robert Lewandowski beats Messi and Ronaldo the biggest individual honour. Lewandowski becomes the first player since Luka Modric in 2018 to beat Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to win the The Best FIFA Men's Player. FIFA president Gianni Infantino himself takes the The Best FIFA Men’s Player trophy to present it the Bayern Munich marksman.
- Next is the biggest prize in men's football. The Best FIFA Men’s Player: Nominees: Lionel Messi (Argentina/Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Juventus), Robert Lewandowski (Poland/Bayern Munich)
- England and Manchester City defender Lucy Bronze wins The Best FIFA Women’s Player!
Lucy Bronze becomes the first-ever defender to collect the biggest honour in football. The England star is also the first full-back of either gender to be crowned The Best. She won the Champions League with Lyon along with the French league and cup double.
- We are heading to the two big honours. First up is the The Best FIFA Women’s Player: Nominees: Lucy Bronze (England/Man City), Pernille Harder (Denmark/Wolfsburg), Wendie Renard (France/Lyon)
- Antonia Cabrini, former Juventus and World Cup winner with Italy in 1982, remembers his former club and national teammate.
- FIFA pays tribute to Italy's legendary forward Paolo Rossi, who passed away on December 9 at the age of 64.
- Gulit and former Napoli manager Ciro Ferrara share anecdotes of playing with and against Maradona during his time in Italy.
- A musical montage paying tribute to Argentina and Napoli legend Diego Maradona is played. The footballing great passed away on November 25 at the age of 60.
- Next is the announcement of FIFA FIFPRO Men’s World11:
Alisson Becker (Brazil) (GK); Trent-Alexander Arnold (England), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands), Alphoso Davies (Canada); Kevin de Bruyne (Belgium), Thiago Alcantara (Spain), Joshua Kimmich (Germany); Lionel Messi (Argentina), Robert Lewandowski (Poland), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
- Next is the FIFA FIFPRO Women’s World11:
Christiane Endler (Chile) (GK); Lucy Bronze (England), Wendie Renard (France), Millie Bright (England), Delphine Cascarino (France); Barbara Bonansea(Italy), Veronica Boquete(Italy), Megan Rapinoe (USA); Pernille Harder(Denmark), Vivianne Miedema(Netherlands), Tobin Heath(USA).
- The next one is FIFA Best Fan Award which goes to Marivaldo Francisco da Silva. The Brazilian has never missed a home game of his club Sport Club do Recife and often walked a 60-kilometres walk to reach Sport's stadium for every match most certainly is. That remarkable passion and commitment earned Marivaldo a nomination for the The Best FIFA Fan Award.
- The next category is FIFA Fair Play Award which goes to Italian side ASD Ospedaletti’s 17-year-old Mattia Agnese, who helped an opponent who lost consciousness during a game.
- Klopp remembers the contributions of late Gerard Houllier in Liverpool's success over the years. The former French coach passed away last week due to a heart issue.
- The winner of the The Best FIFA Men’s Coach is Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who wins the award for the second year in a row.
The German led Liverpool to its first Premier League trophy and first top-flight title in 30 years, with a club-record 99 points.
- The next category is The Best FIFA Men’s Coach: Nominees: Marcelo Bielsa (Leeds United), Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool), Hans-Dieter Flick (Bayern Munich)
- The winner of The Best FIFA Women’s Coach: Sarina Wiegman (The Netherlands)
Sarina Wiegman becomes the first person to win the The Best FIFA Women's Coach Award for a second time. The Netherlands coach, who first picked up the honour in 2017, came second to Jill Ellis last year after guiding her team to the FIFA Women’s World Cup Final. This year, she guided The Netherlands to ten victories from as many matches in a triumphant UEFA Women’s EURO qualifying campaign.
- Nominees: Emma Hayes (Chelsea), Jean-Luc Vasseur (Lyon), Sarina Wiegman (The Netherlands)
- Arsenal's legendary manager Arsene Wenger is called on to the stage to announce the The Best FIFA Women’s Coach.
- Tottenham Hotspur foward Son Heung-Min's Premier League goal against Burnley wins the Puskas Award. Here's the spectacular strike from the South Korean.
- Next is the Puskas Award for the best goal of the year.
Finalists: Giorgian De Arrascaeta (Ceara vs Flamengo), Son Heung-Min (Tottenham vs Burnley), Luis Suarez (Barcelona vs Mallorca)
- Winner of The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper: Manuel Neuer (Germany/Bayern Munich)
Manuel Neuer has Bayern Munich led to its second treble sweeping an eighth straight Bundesliga title, the DFB Pokal and a sixth Champions League crown beating PSG in the final.
- On to the next category which is for the men’s goalkeeper: Nominees: Alisson Becker (Brazil/Liverpool), Manuel Neuer (Germany/Bayern Munich), Jan Oblak (Slovenia/Atletico Madrid)
- Winner of The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper : Sarah Bouhaddi (France/Lyon)
The France No. 1 has won ten consecutive French titles and seven UEFA Women's Champions League winner’s medals in her career and bags the award after a year in which she won another domestic and European treble with Lyon. Bouhaddi also shone for her national team, inspiring Les Bleues to victory in March’s Tournoi de France.
- The first category is The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper: Nominees: Sarah Bouhaddi (France/Lyon), Christiane Endler (Chile/PSG), Alyssa Naeher (USA/Chicago Red Stars)
11.38 pm: Manchester United and England forward Marcus Rashford receives FIFA Foundation Award for his campaign to free school meals for poor children in the UK.
11.30 pm: The FIFA will also pay tribute Argentina's legendary Diego Maradona and Italian great Paolo Rossi, who passed away this year.
11.20 pm: Dutch legend Ruud Gullit will be co-hosting the event alongside English sports journalist and broadcaster Reshmin Chowdhury.
11:14pm: Poll time, ladies and gentlemen!
10:45pm: The ceremony begins at 11.30pm IST. While we wait for proceedings to begin, scroll down to check out the full list of nominees and last year's winners. 10.30pm: 2020 has been a strange year but one always has time to take a moment to celebrate dominance and success in sport. The Best FIFA Football Awards 2020 is an event that seeks to do the same. This year, like the UEFA Awards, this ceremony too will be virtual.
Here are the big winners in 2019 - Lionel Messi, Jurgen Klopp and Megan Rapinoe bag top honours at The Best FIFA Awards
Categories and Nominees: The Best FIFA Women’s Player Nominees: Lucy Bronze (England/Man City), Pernille Harder (Denmark/Wolfsburg), Wendie Renard (France/Lyon) The Best FIFA Men’s Player Nominees: Lionel Messi (Argentina/Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Juventus), Robert Lewandowski (Poland/Bayern Munich) The Best FIFA Women’s Coach Nominees: Emma Hayes (Chelsea Women), Jean-Luc Vasseur (PSG), Sarina Wiegman (The Netherlands) The Best FIFA Men’s Coach Nominees: Marcelo Bielsa (Leeds United), Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool), Hans-Dieter Flick (Bayern Munich) The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper Nominees: Sarah Bouhaddi (France/Lyon), Christiane Endler (Chile/PSG), Alyssa Naeher (USA/Chicago Red Start) The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper Nominees: Alisson Becker (Brazil/Liverpool), Manuel Neuer (Germany/Bayern Munich), Jan Oblak (Slovenia/Atletico Madrid) FIFA FIFPRO Women’s World11
FIFA Fan Award |
Where to watch? You can watch The Best FIFA Football Awards on the FIFA Website or their YouTube channel.
Alternatively, you can follow every update from the virtual ceremony as it happens with Sportstar. When does it begin?
The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 7pm CET (11.30pm IST)