10 Friday, December 18, 2020 Sports Lewandowski crowns perfect 2020 with FIFA world footballer award Klopp named Best Coach; Bronze is Best Woman Player DPA Berlin

Bayern Munich and Poland striker was named men’s footballer of the year for 2020 at a ceremo- ny held largely online by global governing body FIFA. But FIFA president Gi- anni Infantino made an ex- ception with Lewandowski’s award as he ‘surprised’ the 32-year-old in person to hand over the trophy. Lewandowski was an out- standing player for Bayern as they claimed the , FIFA President Gianni Infantino (C-L) appears on a screen awarding The Best FIFA Men’s player award to Liverpool’s German headcoach Jurgen Klopp appears on screen to receive The Best FIFA Men’s coach award German Cup and Champions Bayern Munchen’s Polish forward Robert Lewandowski as Dutch manager and former player during The Best FIFA Football Awards 2020 ceremony at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich on Thursday. (AFP) League treble last season and (left) and British sports journalist Reshmin Chowdhury (right) looks on as during The Best FIFA Football he ended the calendar year Awards 2020 ceremony at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich on Thursday. (AFP) with 41 goals. The best men’s eleven as voted for through the player union FIFPro was: He did enough to edge out lost out to Liver- (Liverpool); Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Virgl van Dijk (Liverpool), (Real serial winners pool manager Juergen Klopp Madrid), (Bayern Munich); (Bayern Munich), (Man- and , who for best coach. chester United), Thiago Alcantara (Liverpool); Messi, Lewandowski, Ronaldo. also made the final three-man Bronze edged out Den- shortlist, in combined votes mark forward Pernille Hard- The best women’s eleven was ( Saint-Germain); (Chelsea), from coaches, captains, jour- er (Wolfsburg/Chelsea) and Bronze, ; Barbara Bonansea (Juventus), Veronica Boquete (AC Milan/Utah Royals), nalists and fans. defender Wendie Re- (), Harder, Tobin Heath (Man United/Portland Thorns), Lewandowski wrestled nard (Lyon) after finishing (Arsenal), (OL Reign). the trophy from Barcelona’s third last year. Messi and Ronaldo of Juven- “What a surprise to be tained the honour he won in Vasseur. Award for best for his solo tus for just the second time in even nominated alongside two 2019 which he said “meant of Lyon effort against Burnley in the 12 seasons after Real Madrid’s players of that stature! I don’t the world,” to him and that he and France was named best , even though it Luka Modric took the honour really have the words right “couldn’t be prouder.” women’s goalkeeper. was scored in December 2019. in 2018. now to explain how I’m feel- of Leeds Rapinoe, who was world Marcus Rashford of Man- defender ing,” the 29-year-old said. United and Hansi Flick of player of 2019, posted on so- chester United was honoured , who won the “But if there’s anything treble winners Bayern Mu- cial media she was thankful with the FIFA foundation treble with Olympique Lyon 2020 has taught us it’s to ap- nich were beaten by Klopp for the votes but felt her se- award for his work against before moving to Manchester preciate every moment we’ve from the final shortlist of lection highlighted the lack child poverty. City, took the best women’s got. So winning it this year I FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samba Diouf Samoura stands in front three of of exposure to the women’s And 17-year-old Mattia Ag- player award. appreciate it more than ever of a screen showing Manchester’s British defender Lucy Bronze before the Netherlands won the wom- game given she hadn’t played nese, of Italy’s ASD Ospedal- Lewandowski’s team-mate and I will remember it from awarding the The Best FIFA Women’s player award during The Best en’s coach of the year award, since March. etti, won the fair play award for was named best the rest of my life.” FIFA Football Awards 2020 ceremony at the FIFA headquarters in edging out of Son Heung Min of Totten- helping an opponent who lost men’s goalkeeper but his boss The 53-year-old Klopp re- Zurich on Thursday. (AFP) Chelsea and Lyon’s Jean-Luc ham Hotspur won the Puskas consciousness during a game. Saud Al Athba to PSG cruise to win over 10-man Lorient officiate Amir Cup final AFP Earlier, in-form Yusuf Ya- lon d’Or winner , Paris zici scored the winner as Lille grabbed his first Ligue 1 goal Tribune News Network during the final. eased to a 2-0 victory at , since scoring for PSG in Au- Doha Al Rayyan Venue’s in- Kylian Mbappe scored a despite uncertainty behind the gust 2018. auguration follows the suc- penalty as Paris Saint-Ger- scenes at the table-toppers. “We’ll next host PSG in a The Referees Department of cessful launch of Khalifa main cruised to a 2-0 win over Lille president and owner massive match in an empty the Football Associa- International, Al Janoub 10-man Lorient on Wednes- Gerard Lopez revealed earlier stadium (on Sunday),” said tion (QFA) has named refer- and Education City. Al Bayt day, keeping the reigning on Wednesday that he could Lille coach Galtier. ee Saud Al Athba to officiate has also been completed and champions just one point be- sell the club to foreign inves- “The two teams will be the Amir Cup final on Friday. will be inaugurated short- hind Lille ahead of their visit tors, against the backdrop of a tired and the Parisians might Al Sadd and Al Arabi will ly. Al Thumama, Ras Abu to the leaders this weekend. difficult financial situation -ex be slightly superior. battle for the Amir Cup ti- Aboud and Lusail are in the Mbappe’s second-half pen- acerbated by the coronavirus “But in one match, there is tle at Al Rayyan Venue, the final stages of construction alty, when Andrew Gravillon pandemic. everything to play for.” fourth 2022 FIFA World and will be delivered well in was sent off, and Moise Kean’s “I’m analysing the takeover Lyon were a goal down at Cup stadium that will be un- advance of the World Cup, strike helped PSG to victory offer I received,” Lopez told half-time against Brest after veiled by Qatar. which kicks off on Novem- after Lille, who host the Cham- AFP, adding that if a sale took goalkeeper Anthony Lopes’s First Assistant will be ber 21, 2022. pions League runners-up on place he would “completely own goal, but Memphis De- Zahi Al Shammari while Ma- The Amir Cup final, Sunday, beat Dijon by the Paris Saint-Germain’s French forward Kylian Mbappe (left) is congratu- withdraw” from the club. pay’s penalty and a goal for jid Haiders will be the Sec- postponed from March due same scoreline. lated by teammates after he scored during the French L1 match against But Lille continued their Maxwel Cornet looked to have ond Assistant. Hadi Rwaili to the ongoing COVID-19 Lyon dropped to third FC Lorient at The Stadium in Paris on Wednesday, (AFP) serene progress on the pitch seen them keep pace with will be the fourth referee. pandemic situation, is set to place, a point behind PSG, af- this season, as Turkish inter- Lille. VAR will also be used be held at 7 pm. ter a dramatic 2-2 draw with on goal. national Yazici gave them a But Romain Faivre scored Brest. But the match was effec- 19th-minute lead with his fifth a re-taken spot-kick in the Marseille, who have two tively decided less than five league goal of the campaign on 93rd minute after Brendan games in hand on the top minutes after the break, as vis- only his third Ligue 1 start this Chardonnet’s initial effort was three, slipped five points be- iting full-back Gravillon was term. saved by Lopes, who was off hind the leaders after a 2-1 de- harshly sent off for a nudge on The 23-year-old calmly his line. feat at . Mbappe in the box. slotted home compatriot Zeki Marseille led at Rennes PSG coach Thomas Tuchel The forward, sporting a Celik’s cutback to net for the through Pape Gueye, but the after the game said that Ney- striking new blue hairstyle, 11th time in all competitions in was sent off in the mar, who sprained his ankle stepped up to power the spot- a breakthrough season. 36th minute and goals from last Sunday against Lyon, kick into the bottom corner. Lille thought they had Hamari Traore and Adrien could return this weekend. PSG’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates It took Tuchel’s men 10 been awarded a late spot-kick Hunou ended the home team’s “For we will do his goal. (AFP) more minutes to secure vic- for a trip on Burak Yilmaz, but nine-match winless streak. everything -- that is the good tory, with Rafinha setting up the decision was overturned Elsewhere, fifth-placed news,” said the German. “I struggling Lorient without cre- Kean to grab his eighth goal following a VAR review. Montpellier slipped six points can’t say ‘No, he’s not playing ating many clear-cut chances, since joining PSG on loan from Christophe Galtier’s men behind Lille with a 2-0 home against Lille’. It is possible. We with Lorient’s Teremas Moffi Everton in the close season. did double their advantage in defeat by , while Monaco With referee Saud Al Atha, First Assistant will be Zahi Al Sham- can try, we will try everything.” wasting the best opportunity injury time, though, wrapping fell to a third straight league mari while Majid Haiders will be the Second Assistant. Hadi PSG had 81 percent of pos- of the opening period when he Yazici strikes again for up the three points as Timo- loss, beaten 3-0 at home by Rwaili will be the fourth referee for the Amir Cup 2020 final. session in the first half against fired wide when clean through Lille thy Weah, son of former Bal- Lens.

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