FIFA held their annual The Best Awards in Zurich on Thursday night time, with Robert Lewandowski beating Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to the most sensible prize.
The Poland world was once named FIFA Men’s Player of the Year after damn away 55 objectives in simply 47 appearances in Bayern Munich‘s treble-winning season.
He completed as most sensible function scorer in the Bundesliga, the DFB-Pokal and the Champions League.
2020 belongs to Robert Lewandowski 👏 pic.twitter.com/iGAWDjiua9
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 17, 2020
At the exact second Lewandowski’s identify was once introduced through the hosts, one in every of his fellow contenders — gazing on remotely — was once undoubtedly conquer with emotion.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s vibe after dropping: pic.twitter.com/PppYAAQhJu
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 17, 2020
Of route, the symbol does not inform the entire tale as it quickly emerged Ronaldo had in truth voted for Lewandowski as his first option to win the FIFA Best Men’s Player of the Year award.
The Juventus famous person additionally voted Messi as his 2d select and Kylian Mbappe in 3rd, whilst Messi himself didn’t go back the praise.
Indeed, the Barcelona guy opted for Neymar as his participant of the yr, with Mbappe and Lewandowski in 2d and 3rd position, respectively.
Lewandowski’s FIFA Player of the Year win was once the first for a Polish participant or a participant from a German membership since its inception in 1991.
I will be able to repeat what I stated some time in the past. Never forestall dreaming🙏 Thank you such a lot for this award, it is an out of this world honour to obtain this this night🏆 Dziękuję! #TheBest @FIFAcom
— Robert Lewandowski (@lewy_official) December 17, 2020
It additionally breaks a streak of 11 consecutive years (since 2009 onwards) that the recipient — both of FIFA World Player of the Year, the FIFA Ballon d’Or or FIFA The Best — hasn’t performed for both Barcelona or Real Madrid.
Indeed, since 2009 onwards the award has been claimed six instances through Messi, 4 instances through Ronaldo and as soon as through Luka Modric. Ronaldo additionally gained it in 2008, however was once taking part in for Manchester United at the time.
It’s additionally price noting that Messi and Ronaldo have completed in the most sensible 3 for FIFA’s annual award as a long way again as 2007 (when Kaka gained), a feat the mercurial pair are nonetheless managing to copy 13 years on down the line.
Aprovechando que hoy se entrega el premio #TheBest 🥇, Kaká 🇧🇷 sacó este fotón 📸 del baúl de los recuerdos. Fue en el año 2007, cuando el brasileño fue elegido como el mejor jugador del mundo por delante de Lionel Messi 🇦🇷 y Cristiano Ronaldo 🇵🇹. Hoy, en 2020, ¡siguen nominados! pic.twitter.com/j10vooUMqj
— ESPN Fútbol Club Argentina (@ESPNFCarg) December 17, 2020
The gala night additionally noticed the FIFPro Men’s World XI introduced for 2019-20, with Messi and Ronaldo each making the “Team of the Year” minimize for the 14th yr operating, from 2007 to offer day.
Elsewhere, Alisson pipped Manuel Neuer to the goalkeeping berth in spite of the Bayern big name being named FIFA Best Men’s Goalkeeper that exact same night.
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ESPN FC’s Kasey Keller compares Liverpool’s Alisson and The Best FIFA males’s goalkeeper winner Manuel Neuer.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joshua Kimmich, Kevin De Bruyne, Thiago Alcantara and Lewandowski all gained their first ever FIFPro World XI nods.
Sadly, there wasn’t a spot for Derby County centre-back Curtis Davies in spite of the 35-year-old it seems that seeing his identify on the workforce sheet.
After what is been a in point of fact tricky 2020 I’m honoured to be named in the FIFA Best Men’s X1!
After the 3 passes I finished on my left foot final season, they even put me left again #TheBest🏆🤣 pic.twitter.com/Ihari9h3pD
— ℂ𝕦𝕣𝕥𝕚𝕤 𝔻𝕒𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕤 #33 (@TheCurtisDavies) December 17, 2020
The Davies in query after all being Alphonso Davies, who additionally made his FIFPro XI debut at left-back after a good looking leap forward season with Bayern.
