Robert Lewandowski has been named UEFA men’s Player of the Year.
The 32-year-old Bayern Munich striker beat team-mate goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne to the award.
The UEFA awards were announced alongside the Champions League group stage draw held in Geneva without club officials in attendance due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Bayern dominated the awards with Hansi Flick named men’s coach of the year after leading his side to a sixth European title in less than a year as coach of the Bavarians.
Flick, 55, took charge of the Bavarians after Nico Kovac was sacked last November. He had been the side’s assistant coach prior to taking over.
Lewandowski scored 55 goals in 47 games last season as Bayern won the Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup.
His goals haul was 16 more than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues across all competitions in 2019-20.
Chelsea forward Pernille Harder received the women’s Player of the Year award.
Manchester City’s Belgium playmaker De Bruyne, 29, was named Champions League midfielder of the year.
Neuer, 34, won goalkeeper of the year after recording six clean sheets in the Champions League as Bayern defeated Paris St-Germain in August’s final, while team-mate Joshua Kimmich, 25, was named best defender.
Flick triumphed over Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp – who guided the club to their first Premier League title in 30 years – and RB Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann to land the coach of the year award.
Meanwhile, former Chelsea and Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba was awarded the UEFA President’s Award by Aleksander Ceferin for a “commitment to excellence both on and off the pitch”.
Player of the year voting was decided by the 80 coaches of the clubs in last season’s European competitions, along with 55 journalists – one from each of UEFA members’ association.
Men’s UEFA Awards
Player of the year – Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
Coach of the year – Hansi Flick (Bayern Munich)
Goalkeeper of the year – Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich)
Defender of the year – Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)
Midfielder of the year – Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City)
Forward of the year – Robert Lewandowski
