World football’s top players and managers of 2021 are being recognized at The Best FIFA Football Awards show on Monday. Below, theScore is tracking all the winners of the various trophies being handed out in Zurich.
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Christiane Endler (Lyon and Chile)
After finishing second in each of the last two years – to Sari van Veenendaal in 2019 and Sarah Bouhaddi in 2020 – Chilean netminder Endler finally landed the award at the third time of asking. Endler backstopped Paris Saint-Germain to the Division 1 Feminine title last season, posting 19 clean sheets while allowing just four goals the entire campaign.
Best Men’s Goalkeeper
Edouard Mendy (Chelsea and Senegal)
Mendy has been vital to Chelsea’s success since joining the club in 2020, solidifying what was a problematic position for the Blues prior to his arrival. The Senegalese shot-stopper, 29, backstopped Chelsea to the Champions League title in 2021, and finished the calendar year with more clean sheets (29) than goals conceded (27). After his shocking omission from the Ballon d’Or shortlist, Mendy’s spectacular season has finally garnered the respect it deserves.
Puskas Award winner
Erik Lamela – Tottenham Hotspur vs. Arsenal (March 14, 2021)
Erik Lamela wins the 2021 Puskas Award! ?pic.twitter.com/jcBrM0enXz
— GOAL (@goal) January 17, 2022
Lamela stunned the world with an outrageous rabona in the north London derby. It was the second of its kind that he had scored for Tottenham Hotspur. Already named the goal of the season in the Premier League, the Argentine’s spontaneous strike rightly has now received recognition on a global scale.
FIFA Fair Play Award winner
Denmark national team, medics, and coaching staff
This was never in doubt. In recognition for their heroic, life-saving efforts after Christian Eriksen went into cardiac arrest at Euro 2020, the Danish national team, medics, and coaching staff were collectively bestowed with the Fair Play Award. Everyone involved – from captain Simon Kjaer to team doctor Morten Boesen – helped resuscitate the star midfielder and avoid a potentially devastating outcome after Eriksen collapsed during his team’s opening match at the tournament.
Best Women’s Coach
Emma Hayes (Chelsea)
Hayes was speechless when she was revealed as this year’s award winner on Monday. The longtime Chelsea coach shouldn’t have been, though, after leading her side to a domestic treble in 2020-21. In capturing the Women’s Super League, FA Cup, and League Cup crowns, the 45-year-old tactician became the first Chelsea manager to win all three domestic titles on offer in the same season.
Best Men’s Coach
Thomas Tuchel (Chelsea)
Tuchel masterminded a complete turnaround at Chelsea, taking the Blues from 10th in the Premier League to the summit of European football within five months of his appointment in January 2021. The German tactician won plaudits for the way he organized Chelsea, and his defense-first tactics paid dividends in the Champions League final, where the west London side beat Manchester City to claim the European Cup for a second time.
Women’s FIFA FIFPro World11
Christiane Endler; Lucy Bronze, Wendie Renard, Millie Bright, Magdalena Eriksson; Estefania Banini, Carli Lloyd, Barbara Bonansea; Vivianne Miedema, Marta, Alex Morgan
? THIS is the 2021 Women’s FIFA FIFPRO #World11
By the players, for the players.@FIFAWWC pic.twitter.com/710e5SqqOK
— FIFPRO (@FIFPRO) January 17, 2022
The following awards are still to come today …
Best Men’s Player finalists
Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski is aiming to retain the honor he captured last year. The Polish striker was pipped to the Ballon d’Or by Lionel Messi in November but is the favorite to hoist FIFA’s top individual accolade after yet another goal-laden year.
- Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich and Poland)
- Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain and Argentina)
- Mohamed Salah (Liverpool and Egypt)
Best Women’s Player finalists
A pair of Barcelona superstars are in the running here, with Ballon d’Or holder Alexia Putellas headlining a field comprised of first-time nominees. After English right-back Lucy Bronze broke the trend and took home the silverware last year, the 2021 honor will go to an attacking player once more.
- Jennifer Hermoso (Barcelona and Spain)
- Sam Kerr (Chelsea and Australia)
- Alexia Putellas (Barcelona and Spain)
Men’s FIFA FIFPro World11
To be announced.
