FIFA #TheBest 2020: Lewandowski beats Messi and Ronaldo to win FIFA Men's best player for 2020

Robert Lewandowski voted FIFA Men's best player for 2020, beating Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to the award Bayern Munich and Pola...

Robert Lewandowski voted FIFA Men's best player for 2020, beating Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to the award

Bayern Munich and Poland striker, Robert Lewandowski has been voted as FIFA Men’s player of the year at a virtual event on Thursday, beating six time winner Lionel Messi of Barcelona and five time winner, Cristiano Ronaldo of Juventus to the award.

Lewandowski got the nod ahead of the two idols following his heroics in the outgoing year and he can’t just believe it.

Lewandowski, 32, joins Luka Modric (2018) as the only players other than Lionel Messi (6) and Cristiano Ronaldo (5) to have won the FIFA Men's Player of the Year since 2008.

Lewandowski also led Poland to Euro 2020 qualification and was named the 2019-20 UEFA Men's Player of the Year in October.

"To win such an award and share this title with [previous winners] Messi and Ronaldo is unbelievable and means so much to me," Lewandowski said. "I am very proud and happy. This is a great day for me, and also for my club and colleagues.”

"This award also belongs to my colleagues, the coach and Bayern in general. It is an incredible feeling, a lot of emotions."

Manchester City and England defender Lucy Bronze won The Best FIFA Women's Player of the Year. She is the first player, male or female, from England to land the honor from FIFA.

"I don't have the words right now to explain how I'm feeling," Bronze said. "If there's anything 2020 has taught us to appreciate every moment you've got, not look too far ahead and live in the here and now.

"I appreciate it more than ever. I'll remember this moment forever, for the rest of my life."

Bayern's Manuel Neuer won the award for best goalkeeper -- becoming the first German goalie to take home the prize -- while Heung Min Son was handed the Puskas Award for the best goal with his stunning end-to-end run and strike in Tottenham's 5-0 win over Burnley on Dec. 7, 2019.

 

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp was named Coach of the Year for the second time. He also won it in 2019, making him the first man to win the award twice.

Netherlands manager Sarina Wiegman was given the women's Coach of the Year award, also for the second time, joining Jill Ellis (two) and Silvia Neid (three) as the only multi-time female winners.

FIFA's The Best award is the rebirth of the FIFA World Player of the Year award, which ran parallel to the Ballon d'Or award from 1991 to 2009. The two awards then merged to create the FIFA Ballon d'Or from 2010 to 2015 before FIFA The Best was reintroduced in 2016.

The winners, who were voted on by selected members of the media, national team captains and coaches as well as fans, were announced via a virtual ceremony on Thursday.