Lewandowski and Putellas win Fifa Best awards as Chelsea scoop three gongs

Bayern Munich's prolific Polish striker Robert Lewandowski won the Fifa Best Men's Player award for a second successive year Monday, with Barcelona's Spanish midfielder Alexia Putellas taking the women's prize for 2021.

Lewandowski enjoyed a record breaking 2021, beating Gerd Mueller's long-standing record of 40 goals in a single Bundesliga campaign. "I'm happy and honoured to win this award, and I feel very proud," said Lewandowski, 33, who scored 48 goals for club and country in 2020/21. Lewandowski scored three times for Bayern at the weekend taking his 2021/22 season tally to 39 goals in 33 matches.

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The trophy was some consolation for the Polish striker who lost out to Messi for the older and rival award the Ballon d'Or in November. "Robert is someone special. He is the greatest footballer in the history of our country. The best Polish ambassador and a role model for young people, not only those playing football," Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Facebook.

Putellas, 27, is the heartbeat of the Barcelona women's team which won the Spanish league and the Champions League. "This trophy is for everyone in the team," Putellas said. "The trophy will be an inspiration for us all."

Chelsea won both the awards for best coach, with Thomas Tuchel winning the men's award and Emma Hayes named the best women's coach.

Tuchel guided Chelsea to the Champions League title after taking over the reins in January while Hayes won the Women's Super League, FA Cup and League Cup treble in England.

The West London club enjoyed further recognition with their Senegal international Edouard Mendy winning the Best Men's Goalkeeper award. Chile and Olympique Lyonnais’ Christiane Endler was named The Best Women’s Goalkeeper.

Cristiano Ronaldo won the Special Award in recognition of setting a record of most international goals scored, beating Ali Daei's long-standing mark of 109 for Iran. The 36-year-old Ronaldo now has 115 goals from 184 games with Portugal after making his debut aged 18 back in 2003.

"I never expected to beat this record, and I thank my teammates from these past 20 years," said Ronaldo, who also holds the record for 140 Champions League goals.

The Puskas Award for best goal of the year was won by Argentina's Erik Lamela, now with Spanish club Sevilla, for his rabona goal for Tottenham Hotspur against Arsenal.

The Denmark national team and their medical staff won the Fair Play award for their swift response after Christian Eriksen collapsed on the field during the Euro 2020 game with Finland.