GENEVA: Robert Lewandowski was named UEFA men’s player of the year on Thursday following a superb season in which he won the treble with Bayern Munich.
Lewandowski was at the Champions League group-stage draw in Geneva to receive the award, just weeks after Bayern won the 2019/20 edition of the competition.
The Poland striker, who scored 55 goals in 47 games as Bayern also won the Bundesliga and German Cup, saw off Bayern team-mate Manuel Neuer and Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne to win the award.
“It’s an amazing feeling, because you work so hard, so this trophy is something special,” said Lewandowski after receiving the award.
“I have to say thank you to my team-mates and coaches who helped me get where I am. Also my family have given me so much support and are so important.”
Lewandowski also picked up the award for best forward in last season’s Champions League after amassing 15 goals in 10 games. In one match against Red Star Belgrade he needed just 14 minutes to score four times.
The 32-year-old was also top scorer in the Bundesliga last season with 34 goals, equal to a goal a game in the 18-team league.
It was the fifth time he claimed the award for the highest number of goals in the German top flight since arriving at Bayern from Borussia Dortmund in 2014.
Lewandowski would have been the strong favorite to win this year’s Ballon d’Or had it not been canceled by France Football magazine due to the coronavirus pandemic.
It was a good evening overall for Bayern, with Neuer winning the 2019/20 Champions League goalkeeper of the season, Joshua Kimmich winning defender of the campaign and Hansi Flick being named men’s coach of the year.
They will also be favorites to qualify for this season’s Champions League knockout stages after being drawn in Group A alongside Atletico Madrid, Salzburg and Lokomotiv Moscow.
Lewandowski named UEFA men’s player of year
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Lewandowski named UEFA men’s player of year
- The Poland striker, who scored 55 goals in 47 games, saw off Bayern team-mate Manuel Neuer and Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne to win the award
- Lewandowski would have been the strong favorite to win this year’s Ballon d’Or had it not been canceled by France Football magazine due to the coronavirus pandemic
Sixth Italian Super Cup in Saudi Arabia underlines Kingdom’s growing maturity as football host
- 2024/25 Serie A champions Napoli are participating for the sixth time, with Coppa Italia winners Bologna making their Super Cup debut after lifting their first domestic cup in 51 years
- Two of the Super Cup’s most successful clubs, Milan rivals Inter and AC Milan – both eight-time winners – will also take part, after finishing runners-up in the Serie A and Coppa Italia respectively
RIYADH: The Italian Super Cup returns to Saudi Arabia this Thursday, December 18, a milestone that reflects more than the appeal of a stellar four-team tournament.
With the tournament set to take place at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh, the 38th edition of the competition offers a clear illustration of how Saudi’s role as a football host has evolved from novelty to consistency.
2024/25 Serie A champions Napoli are participating for the sixth time, with Coppa Italia winners Bologna making their Super Cup debut after lifting their first domestic cup in 51 years.
Two of the Super Cup’s most successful clubs, Milan rivals Inter and AC Milan – both eight-time winners – will also take part, after finishing runners-up in the Serie A and Coppa Italia respectively.
While high-quality football is expected on the pitch, the tournament’s repeated return to the Kingdom points to a broader shift. When it was staged for the first time in 2018, the match was viewed largely as a one-off showcase.
61,235 fans packed the Al-Inma Stadium in Jeddah to witness a decisive Ronaldo strike that led Juventus to the title at the expense of AC Milan.
That fan presence has not gone unnoticed by clubs themselves. Speaking after Napoli’s arrival in Riyadh, head coach Antonio Conte highlighted how these fixtures are increasingly viewed as an opportunity to connect with supporters beyond Europe.
“Meeting Napoli fans in Riyadh was a great feeling,” Conte said. “Seeing that you have many fans across the world pushes you to do more for them and to continue growing as a club.”
Five editions later, the Super Cup is no longer seen as an experiment, but as part of a wider pattern in Saudi Arabia’s sporting calendar. Here, events aren’t just hosted once, but renewed and repeated.
The Italian Super Cup sits alongside other football events that have established long-term roots in the Kingdom, most notably the Spanish Super Cup, which has returned four times since 2020.
Beyond football, Saudi Arabia has also seen the regular returns of major international events such as the Dakar Rally, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, UFC Fight Night and the WTA Finals, reinforcing a hosting model built on delivery rather than spectacle alone.
At the same time, the calendar continues to expand. Recent additions such as LIV Golf, the Islamic Solidarity Games, as well as upcoming events in the form of the Olympic eSports Games, the WWE Royal Rumble and the AFC Asian Cup illustrate Saudi Arabia’s broadening portfolio.
What distinguishes the Italian Super Cup’s return to Saudi Arabia is not its scale, but its familiarity. While novelty is welcome, consistency is now defining Saudi Arabia’s presence on the global sports stage.
As Saudi Arabia continues to build toward future football milestones, the Super Cup’s sixth visit serves as a reminder that growth as a host is increasingly measured by consistency, reliability and the confidence of those who choose to return.
