Megan Rapinoe already has a successor as the best player in the world: Lucy Bronze. The English defense received the ‘The Best’ award from FIFA on Thursday at a telematic gala in which Robert Lewandowski beat Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi. The current Manchester City player stayed last year in third position, this time surpassing the Danish Pernille Harder, Chelsea striker who played at Wolfsburg in previous seasons, and the most expensive signing in women’s football; and his former teammate Wendie Renard, captain of Olympique Lyon.
At 29, the international was one of the architects of the fifth consecutive Champions League of the French team, title that they raised this summer in San Sebastián. “It was a surprise for me that they even nominated me along with these two players that I know well, great, beautiful people. It is an honor to be on the same level with them. I have no words to explain what I feel, “he declared as soon as he heard his name, assuring that he will remember that moment” all his life for the recognition after such a difficult year. “
Bronze also explained his return to Manchester City, assuring that he wanted to go back to his country, “to try to do something with an English team and with the national team. We have the Olympic Games and the European Championship. Lyon has taught me to win and now I want to use that energy to try to succeed in England and with England».
At Olympique he shared a dressing room with the French until this summer Sarah Bouhaddi, who was chosen as the best goalkeeper in the world, thus succeeding the Dutch Sari van Veenendaal. “It is a great honor to receive this award,” said the one who can also boast of being the current European champion. The French goal, which has also been chosen four times as the best goalkeeper in the world by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS), won the Chilean Christiane Endler, from Paris Saint-Germain and the world champion with the USA. Alyssa Naeher of the Chicago Red Stars.
FIFA also took the opportunity to choose the best women’s eleven on the planet, choosing Bronze, but not Bouhaddi. In the goal, the one who obtained the most votes was the Chilean from PSG Christiane Endler. The defense is made up, in addition to Lucy, Wendie Renard (Olympique de Lyon) and Millie Bright (Chelsea). In the center of the field are Tobin Heath (Manchester United), Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign) -despite having only played three games in 2020-, Barbara Bonansea (Juventus) and Spain’s Vero Boquete, who joined Milan in November after ending her time in soccer in the United States.. As forwards, Delphine Cascarino (Lyon), Vivianne Miedema (Arsenal) and Pernille Harder (Chelsea).
Best Coach: Sarina Wiegman
In the best coach category, the Dutch coach Sarina Wiegman won the award, succeeding the American Jill Ellis, winner in 2019 after winning the World Cup in France. “Being humble, always being prepared and connected with the team is the key to success”Said the coach, who assured that in his career on the bench he has been inspired by his compatriot Louis van Gaal, a former Ajax, Barcelona or Manchester United coach. Wiegman, one of whose main successes was the victory at Euro 2017, beat Emma Hayes, Chelsea coach, and Frenchman Jean-Luc Vasseur, coach of Olympique Lyon.
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