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Klopp wins Fifa's best coach award for second year running

Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp was named The Best Fifa Men's Coach 2020 for the second successive year after guiding the Reds to a first English Premier League title in 30 years. 

The German said he was shocked to learn that he had retained the award, telling the club website: "Arsene Wenger said it exactly right when he asked: what do you have to be, to be a good coach? He said it at the end but I think it helps in the beginning as well. A world-class team helps! And I have that, thank God."

In the award ceremony on Friday morning (Dec 18, Singapore time), Bayern Munich forward Robert Lewandowski was named The Best Men’s Player 2020, beating off competition from last year’s winner Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Lewandowski, who won the German league and cup double as well as the Champions League with Bayern, finished as top scorer in all three competitions and won the award for the first time.

The 32-year-old also led Poland to Euro 2020 qualification and was named the 2019-20 Uefa Men’s Player of the Year in October.

“To win such an award and share this title with (previous winners) Messi and Ronaldo, is unbelievable and means so much to me,” Lewandowski said.

“I am very proud and happy. This is a great day for me, and also for my club and colleagues.

“This award also belongs to my colleagues, the coach and Bayern in general. It is an incredible feeling, a lot of emotions.”

Manchester City fullback Lucy Bronze won the women’s best player award, becoming the first female English player to take the prize.

“I don’t have the words right now to explain how I’m feeling,” Bronze said.

“If there’s anything 2020 has taught us to appreciate every moment you’ve got, not look too far ahead and live in the here and now.

“I appreciate it more than ever. I’ll remember this moment forever, for the rest of my life.”

Elsewhere, in the men’s categories, Lewandowski’s Bayern teammate Manuel Neuer was named The Best Fifa Men’s Goalkeeper.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min won the Puskas Award for Goal of the Year for his solo goal in an English Premier League game against Burnley last December.

Holland's Sarina Wiegman was named The Best Women’s Coach and Sarah Bouhaddi was awarded The Best Women’s Goalkeeper.

The awards are voted on by selected members of the media, national team captains and coaches as well as fans.

FIFPro World XI’s Men’s team: Alisson (Liverpool and Brazil), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool and England), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool and Holland), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid and Spain), Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich and Canada), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich and Germany), Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City and Belgium), Thiago Alcantara (Liverpool and Spain), Lionel Messi (Barcelona and Argentina), Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich and Poland), Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus and Portugal) – REUTERS

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