Robert Lewandowski has won the Best Fifa Men’s Player award for the second year in a row after finishing ahead of Lionel Messi at the ceremony in Zurich on Monday evening.
The Bayern Munich and Poland striker defended his title after a record-breaking goalscoring season in the Bundesliga and his victory comes comes after Messi beat the 33-year-old to the 2021 Ballon d’Or prize last month. Liverpool and Egypt forward Mohamed Salah completed the top three.
Lewandowski enjoyed another remarkable year for Bayern Munich as he broke Gerd Muller’s 49-year-old Bundesliga record for most goals in a season when he netted 41 goals in 29 league appearances last campaign. The striker has also scored 23 times in 19 Bundesliga appearances so far this season.
“I am very honoured to win this trophy. I feel very proud. This belongs to my teammates and coaches,” Lewandowski said, before paying tribute to Muller, who died in August at the age of 75.
“I never dreamed of breaking this record – to score 41 goals in 29 games,” Lewandowski added. “If you asked me a few years ago I would have said it is impossible to score so many goals in Bundesliga. Now he [Muller] is not with us anymore, I want to say thank you to him – the next step was to try and break that record.”
Alexia Putellas won the Best Fifa Women’s Player award to complete a double of major individual honours following her victory at the Ballon d’Or last month.
Chelsea’s Edouard Mendy won goalkeeper of the year after playing a crucial role in winning the Champions League in his first year at the club. The Senegal international, who is with his country at the Africa Cup of Nations, claimed the prize ahead of Gianluigi Donnarumma and Manuel Neuer.
Chelsea also completed a sweep of coaching prizes as Thomas Tuchel and Emma Hayes won men’s and women’s coach of the year respectively, after both clubs reached European finals last season.
Erik Lamela won the Puskas Award for goal of the year after his spectacular rabona goal against Arsenal in the Premier League last season beat competition from Patrick Schick and Mehdi Taremi.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined Messi in the FifPro World XI for the 15th consecutive year, also received a special prize for becoming the top goalscorer in men’s internationals.
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