ANDREW EKEJIUBA
Bayern Munich’s Poland international striker Robert Lewandowski has been named The Best men’s player of 2020 at FIFA’s award ceremony on Thursday, winning the award ahead of Juventus’ super star Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona icon Lionel Messi.
The 32-year-old was the favourite to take home the main prize after netting 55 goals from 47 games last season, helping Bayern Munich win the treble – Champions League, Bundesliga and DFB Pokal – in the 2019-2020 season.
He is the first player classed as a striker, besides Messi and Ronaldo, to win the award since Ronaldinho in 2005.
Shortly after the prize was handed out to Lewandowski, FIFA revealed how each of the national team coaches and captains, and the country’s media representatives voted for.
Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa gave his first vote to Lionel Messi, his second went to Lewandowski and chose Sadio Mane in third place.
As for manager Gernot Rohr, the former Bayern Munich star and Franco-German voted for Lewandowski, PSG’s Kylian Mbappe and Sadio Mane in that order.
Nigeria’s media representative Christian Okpara, meanwhile, voted for Lewandowski (1st), Mane (2nd) and Cristiano Ronaldo (3rd) as his top three.
