Robert Lewandowski is currently no one on the soccer field. Now he has been voted Footballer of the Year for the second time in a row – by a huge margin. Nicole Billa triumphs in the women, Thomas Tuchel in the coaches.
Record man Robert Lewandowski’s impressive trophy collection grows and grows. The star striker of FC Bayern Munich was once again voted Germany’s Footballer of the Year by a huge margin – and thus won the fourth major personal award in a row. “I know how big this honor is,” said the 32-year-old after his triumph in the election organized by “Kicker”. The Austrian Nicole Billa from TSG 1899 Hoffenheim is footballer of the year, and Thomas Tuchel from Champions League winner Chelsea won the coaching category.
Germany’s best 2020, Europe’s best 2020, world footballer 2020, and now Germany’s footballer of the year again. More is hardly possible for Lewandowski, who was eliminated with Poland at the EM in the preliminary round. In addition, there is the legendary Bundesliga scoring record, which he snatched with 41 goals from Gerd Müller in the past season.
Despite injury without competition
“This number of hits fills me with great pride and is certainly a spectacular performance in view of my injury,” said Lewandowski, who had missed four Bundesliga games at the end of March after a knee injury. The new national coach, Hansi Flick, who switched from Bayern to the DFB in the summer, said: “To break Gerd Müller’s 40-goal record in the Bundesliga despite the injury is simply gigantic.” Lewandowski is “the best there is as a center forward.”
Lewandowski’s team-mate Thomas Müller was second in the men’s journalists’ choice, ahead of Borussia Dortmund’s young star Erling Haaland. Of a total of 563 valid votes, 356 went to Lewandowski – 41 to Müller and 38 to Haaland. The award “is a reason for great pride and joy for me, because you rarely win the title of” Footballer of the Year “twice in a row in Germany,” said Lewandowski.
Billa grabs a title from the women
Billa prevailed with 61 votes, just ahead of the German national players Lea Schüller (FC Bayern Munich / 57 votes) and Almuth Schult (VfL Wolfsburg / 49). “Crazy! I didn’t expect that at all,” said the 25-year-old, who reached third place in the Bundesliga with TSG last season. “The surprise was a success. I’m very happy!”
Two years ago, the striker was voted best player in her home country. “That was just as surprising,” said Billa. “Someone recently told me that I am the Austrian with the most goals this season in the German Bundesliga – women and men. I am not even aware of such things because I just want to be on the pitch and have fun.”
Tuchel replaced Flick as coach of the year. The Chelsea coach, who triumphed against Manchester City in the premier class final with the Blues, got 129 votes – eleven more than Flick. Edin Terzic, who had coached Borussia Dortmund last season, finished third with 75 votes. “I accept the award very gratefully as a great honor for the entire team because I see myself as a team player,” said 47-year-old Tuchel.
However, the personal award was “a bit uncomfortable”, said the former Bundesliga coach and asked: “Who wants to decide what the greatest coaching performance is? Maybe Christian Streich or Bo Svensson deserved the award. Maybe you could do it every year go to Freiburg. Maybe you should take him to Heidenheim because the work is outstanding there. And the coach alone is not enough to win the Champions League. “
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
