The Best FIFA Football Awards were held on Monday night in Zurich, Switzerland, where the winner of The Best Men's Player in 2021 was officially revealed.
The three finalists for The Best Men's Player prize were Robert Lewandowski, Lionel Messi, and Mohamed Salah, who were all competing to be crowned the most outstanding player in the world between 8 October 2020 and 7 August 2021.
Scroll through the gallery to see all the major award winners from 2021 The Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony, including the FIFA FIFPRO World 11
However, it is Bayern Munich marksman Lewandowski who was officially announced as the Best FIFA Men's Player of 2021, beating Messi and Salah to the prestigious individual accolade.
???? #TheBest FIFA Men’s Player Award 2021 goes to #RobertLewandowski!
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) January 17, 2022
?????? Fans, players, coaches and journalists have spoken, naming @lewy_official as #TheBest! pic.twitter.com/21hfIDR3rI
The Poland striker, who has now claimed the prize on back-to-back occasions having won the 2020 edition too, helped Bayern to the Bundesliga and FIFA Club World Cup titles in 2021, and went on to finish the 2020/21 campaign as the German top-flight's leading scorer with 41 strikes in just 29 games, a new record.
Soon after it was confirmed he had won, Lewandowski took to Twitter to write: "It is a great honor and pleasure to receive the title of FIFA The Best Men's Player. Thank you for your votes and your support."
Senegal and Chelsea star Edouard Mendy, who is currently taking part at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, got his hands on the Goalkeeper of the Year award, becoming the first African player ever to win the prize.
Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, was the recipient of a special award after becoming the leading men's international goalscorer of all time in September 2021 – to date, he has scored 115 goals in 184 appearances for Portugal.
Other winners at the ceremony include FC Barcelona star Alexis Putellas, who was named the Best Women's Player, and Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel, who won the Best Men's Coach prize, while Sevilla and Argentina winger Erik Lamela won the Puskas Award for the goal of the year following his strike for his former club Tottenham Hotspur against Arsenal in March last year.
The winner of the #Puskas Award goes to... @ErikLamela! ??#TheBest pic.twitter.com/qa4HNW2tch
The FIFA FIFPRO World 11, which is voted for by professional footballers across the world, was also announced on the night, and it features Lewandowski and Messi, as well as Norway sensation Erling Haaland and Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne – you can see the full team in the gallery above!
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Here are all the major award winners from the 2021 The Best FIFA ceremony in Zurich
The Best FIFA Men's Player
Robert Lewandowski (Poland/FC Bayern Munich)
The Best FIFA Women's Player
Alexia Putellas (Spain/FC Barcelona)
The Best FIFA Men's Goalkeeper
Edouard Mendy (Senegal/Chelsea)
The Best FIFA Women's Goalkeeper
Christiane Endler (Chile/Paris Saint-Germain/Olympique Lyon)
The Best FIFA Men's Coach
Thomas Tuchel (Chelsea)
The Best FIFA Women's Coach
Emma Hayes (Chelsea Women)
FIFA Puskas Award
Erik Lamela (Argentina) – For his strike for Tottenham Hotspur against Arsenal [Premier League] (14 March 2021)
FIFA Fair Play Award
Denmark national team, Danish medical team and staff
FIFA Fan Award
Denmark and Finland fans