Earlier this year, FIFA announced that it decided to cancel The Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony due to the coronavirus pandemic. The association has as of late issued awards such as The Best FIFA Men’s Player honor, which went to FC Barcelona’s Lionel Messi last year.
However, FIFA is now planning on handing out its world player of the year award.
Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (via Germany’s Sky Sport) recently spoke to FIFA President Gianni Infantino about whether the award will be handed out this year. To the delight of many players who are having exceptional seasons, FIFA is planning on changing course on this matter.
“According to the FIFA President, this award will take place,” Rummenigge said. “Gianni Infantino told me that the award should be given to the best player, the best player, and the best coach. That is very welcome.”
At the moment, Bayern Munich forward Robert Lewandowski is deemed to be the clear favorite to go on and win the award. He finished the recent Bundesliga season as the leading goal-scorer and is doing the same in the ongoing Champions League competition.
Depending on the outcome of this season’s Champions League competition, other contenders for the honor could emerge. For instance, Paris Saint-Germain forwards Neymar and Kylian Mbappe are two players who could be viewed as dark-horse contenders for the award. Both players led PSG to a domestic treble and helped clinch the club’s first Champions League semifinal appearance since 1995. If either has a strong showing in the Champions League semifinal round and possibly the final as well if PSG advances, it could end up being enough to top Lewandowski as the new frontrunner for the award.
FIFA has not yet released a date on just when its world player of the year honor will be awarded.
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