FIFA award
Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski has defended his title as World Player of the Year, beating Lionel Messi (Barcelona/Argentina/PSG) and Mohammed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool FC). FIFA crowned the Polish attacker at The Best FIFA Football Awards 2021 for his performances between October 8, 2020 and August 7, 2021 – during this period Lewandowski scored 51 goals (8 assists ) in 45 games, won the German championship and broke Gerd Müller’s age-old record.
“Everything that happened last year, the Bundesliga record, I would never have dared to dream of,” Lewandowski said of the honor. “If you had told me that a few years ago, I wouldn’t have believed it.”
Before Lewandowski was chosen, Edouard Mendy (29) from Chelsea secured the title of world goalkeeper, and Thomas Tuchel, as the new world coach, won the second award for the Blues that evening. The Puskas Award-winning goal of the year was scored by Erik Lamela (29, now Sevilla FC) for Tottenham Hotspur. The FIFA Fair Play Award went to Denmark’s national team and in particular to the team’s medical department, which saved the life of Christian Eriksen (29) after his collapse during the European Championship.
The Best FIFA 2021: Messi involved in more goals than Lewandowski
Finalist Messi, who previously won the race for the Ballon d’Or, even scored one more point than Lewandowski with 43 goals and 17 assists in the assessment period, but needed 56 games in the jersey of FC Barcelona and Argentina. Salah, who is currently contesting the Africa Cup of Nations with Egypt, was directly involved in 34 goals in 47 games.
From Matthäus to Lewandowski: all FIFA World Players since 1991
World footballer history: Real Madrid dominates – Matthäus only German
In 1991 Lothar Matthäus, then under contract with Inter Milan, was the first and so far only German winner. You had to wait 29 years for a world footballer from a German club, and thanks to Lewandowski there is even the second honor in a row. Since 1991, the trophy has gone to FC Barcelona players 12 times and the world footballer has worn the jersey of Real Madrid 9 times. Inter, Juventus and Milan are also represented several times.
FIFA World Players 2021 – This is how the voting mode works
While only journalists can vote for the Ballon d’Or organized by the French sports newspaper “L’Équipe”, the votes of four groups are weighted equally for the FIFA edition: the captains of the national teams and their coaches, a journalist from each FIFA Member country and fans decide who is the world footballer.
The FIFA world selection 2021 was also presented during the ceremony, in which, in addition to world footballer Lewandowski, opponent Messi also made it, but not Salah. In defense, the World Association meanwhile offers ex-Bayern professional David Alaba (29, Austria) from Real Madrid, in goal Gianluigi Donnarumma (22; Milan, Italy, PSG), who was not chosen as the best keeper.
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