UEFA Awards: Robert Lewandowski, Pernille Harder win men's, women's player of the year awards

Geneva: Robert Lewandowski was named UEFA men’s player of the year on Thursday following a superb season in which he won the treble with Bayern Munich, while Danish forward Pernille Harder took home the women’s prize after leading Wolfsburg to the final of the Champions League, where they lost to reigning champions Lyon. Lewandowski was at the Champions League group draw in Geneva to receive the award, just weeks after Bayern won the 2019/20 edition of the competition. The Poland striker scored 55 goals in 47 games as Bayern also won the Bundesliga and German Cup. “It’s an amazing feeling, because you work so hard, so this trophy is something special,” said Lewandowski after receiving the award. “I have to say thank you to my team-mates and coaches who helped me get where I am. Also my family have given me so much support and are so important.” Lewandowski also picked up the award for best forward in last season’s Champions League after amassing 15 goals in 10 games. In one match against Red Star Belgrade he needed just 14 minutes to score four times. The 32-year-old was also top scorer in the Bundesliga last season with 34 goals, equal to a goal a game in the 18-team league. It was the fifth time he claimed the ‘cannon’ award for the highest number of goals in the German top flight since arriving at Bayern from Borussia Dortmund in 2014. Lewandowski would have been the strong favourite to win this year’s Ballon d’Or had it not been cancelled by France Football magazine due to the coronavirus pandemic. Harder ecstatic after winning “I am super happy and very, very proud,” said Harder in a video message after being named the winner. The prize perhaps carries greater weight this year because there will be no Ballon d’Or, organisers France Football cancelling that gala ceremony due to the coronavirus pandemic. Harder came second to Ada Hegerberg for the inaugural women’s Ballon d’Or in 2018.

⚽ 🏅 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟵/𝟮𝟬 𝗨𝗘𝗙𝗔 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻’𝘀 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝘀… @𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗠𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿!

🇩🇰 Congratulations, Pernille! #UEFAawards pic.twitter.com/4r4hJ6s0sR

— UEFA (@UEFA) October 1, 2020

She was the top scorer in last season’s women’s Bundesliga with 27 goals in a 22-game campaign as Wolfsburg defended their title, and netted a total of 103 goals for the German side in 113 appearances over three and a half years. Her arrival at Chelsea, following their recent acquisition of Australia’s Sam Kerr, will make the London side a force to be reckoned with in this season’s Champions League. “I’m looking forward to playing in the Champions League with Chelsea and hopefully also win it in the future. It’s an amazing club that I’m looking forward to being a part of.”