UEFA men's & women's player of the year shortlists revealed
Chelsea midfielders N’Golo Kante and Jorginho, as well as Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne, have been nominated for UEFA’s 2020/21 men’s player of the year award.
Meanwhile, Barcelona trio Jenni Hermoso, Lieke Martens and Alexia Putellas have given the Catalan club a clean sweep of the equivalent women’s award.
UEFA men’s player of the year – 2020/21
Kante and Jorginho both helped Chelsea win the Champions League last season, while the latter was also a crucial part of his country’s Euro 2020 winning squad during the summer.
De Bruyne provided seven combined goals and assists in eight European appearances to help Manchester City reach the Champions League final for the first time ever.
UEFA women’s player of the year – 2020/21
In the Women’s Champions League, Hermoso, Martens and Putellas all played key roles as Barcelona swept to their first ever European trophy, thrashing a very strong Chelsea in the final.
Barça became the first non-French or German club to lift the Champions League trophy since Arsenal all the way back in 2007 and finished the season with an historic treble.
UEFA men’s coach of the year – 2020/21
Following his team’s Champions League success, Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel is nominated for men’s coach of the year, as if Manchester City counterpart Pep Guardiola.
Italy coach Roberto Mancini completes the three-strong shortlist after masterminding his country’s triumph at Euro 2020, only three years after failing to even qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
UEFA women’s coach of the year – 2020/21
Lluis Cortes, who has left Barcelona since winning the Women’s Champions League, is unsurprisingly among the nominees for women’s coach of the year award.
The Spaniard is joined by Emma Hayes, who took Chelsea to a first ever European final, and Sweden boss Peter Gerhardsson, who guided his country to an Olympic silver medal during the summer.
The winners of each award will be announced at the draw for the 2021/22 Champions League group stage draw in Istanbul on Thursday 26 August, alongside men’s and women’s positional awards for UEFA goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and forward of the year.
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