UPDATE: Lewandowski Retains The Best FIFA Men’s Player Of The Year Award

Bayern Munich and Polish striker Robert Lewandowski has been named The Best FIFA Men’s Player of the Year for 2021.

Lewandowski best off competition from Lionel Messi and Mohamed Salah to retain the award which he picked up last year.

Chelsea stopper Edouard Mendy made history as he became the first African goalkeeper to win FIFA’s ‘The Best’ goalkeeper prize.

Having won the Champions League with Chelsea last season, Mendy saw off rivals Gianluigi Donnarumma, who won Euro 2020 with Italy, as well as Manuel Neuer.

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The Blues success in Europe also ensured Thomas Tuchel picked up the award for best manager.

Tuchel saw off competition from Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, who won the Premier League title but lost the Champions League final to the Blues, while Roberto Mancini was also pipped despite this stunning success with Italy at Euro 2020.

It was double success for Chelsea in the best manager award with Emma Hayes winning best women’s coach.

Meanwhile, Erik Lamela picked up the Puskas award for best goal following his incredible Rabona strike for Tottenham Hotspur against Arsenal in the north London derby last season at the Emirates Stadium.

There was even more success for Chelsea in the men’s best XI award, with Jorginho and Kante also featuring, along with Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester City pair Kevin de Bruyne and Ruben Dias.

Lionel Messi also squeezed into a team which lined up in a 3-3-4 formation and also included Donnarumma, David Alaba, Leonardo Bonucci, Erling Haaland and Robert Lewandowski.

In other awards, Denmark National Team, Danish Medical Team and Staff won the FIFA Fair Play 2021 Award and Ronaldo was the recipient of The Best FIFA Special Award for breaking the men’s all time goal scoring record and Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas was named The Best FIFA Women’s Player.