Following another incredible season of European soccer, we look at who deserves to be recognized as awards season begins to heat up for 2021/22.
Best Player
Robert Lewandowski has once again continued to shatter records after scoring a record-breaking 41 goals in 29 Bundesliga games last season. As of now, he has 47 goals in 40 games this campaign, has the most goals on the continent, and has potentially etched his name in history as one of the greatest strikers to ever do it.
Karim Benzema is running him close with his 39 in 39 games right now, especially with Real Madrid still fighting in the Champions League. However, you can’t score the goals Lewandowski has and not be regarded as the greatest and most effective player in the world right now.
Best Manager
Right now, this answer could well change with Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool and Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola both fighting to win the Premier League and Champions League. While it’s incredible what the top two Premier League sides are doing, it would be easy to overlook the stunning form of those further down a table.
As impressive as Liverpool and Manchester City have been, our manager of the season across Europe goes to West Ham United’s David Moyes. The former Everton man has had a torrid time in management since departing Goodison Park in 2013. But now Moyes is fighting to win the Europa League and qualify for top flight competitions for next season as well.
In the Europa League, West Ham were one of the biggest underdogs to win the competition, but they eased out of their group by winning four of their six games. Then they had to overcome the odds against the all-time leaders of the competition, Sevilla, but dispatched of them, and then thrashed Lyon in France to advance to the semi-finals.
Even if they don’t win it all, given their standing in Europe and England, he is thoroughly deserving of the best manager of the year claim with the Hammers sitting seventh in the EPL.
Best Keeper
In a world full of insane goal scoring statistics from teams and players, one thing remains true: a goalkeeper’s job is to keep the ball out of his goal. David De Gea has once again done that better than any other man, and while the world will point towards the likes of Alisson and Ederson, their jobs are 1000x easier with the defenders in front of them.
The Spainard has conceded 53 goals in 40 appearances for Manchester United this season, but as has been the case the past decade, if it wasn’t for him, United’s defense would easily have let in 65+ goals and consequently put the club closer to the bottom half.
De Gea’s highlight reel has been a thing of beauty once again, and the keeper is well on course to register a record fifth United Player of the Season award.
Best Defender
A man who has increasingly been regarded as arguably the best to ever do it in the Premier League, Virgil van Dijk has returned to the scene and proved just how much he was missed during Liverpool’s tough season last year.
The Dutchman missed most of 2020/21, which meant Liverpool lost their title, won nothing, and finished in third place, 17 points off the top. Now, he’s played near enough every minute, been a wall at the back, and one of the main reasons why the Reds continue to fight for absolutely every trophy available.
He’s the best in the world, and by some distance.
Best Midfielder
After becoming the only man to dethrone Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s run in the Ballon d’Or race since 2008, Modric put himself in a category of some of the greatest to ever do it when he won the award in 2018. Fast forward to today, and he’s still arguably the best around.
The Croatian has been the main man behind Benzema this season for Real, controlling everything Los Blancos do from midfield. If there’s anyone who has a doubt about his ability as a 36-year-old, watch back his highlights in the two-legged quarter-finals victory over Chelsea.
With breathtaking passes, and with a brain to control the tempo of an entire game of soccer, Modric has returned to being the world’s best midfielder once more.
Best Forward
As he’s been the top player across Europe this season once again, Lewandowski is our pick for the best forward here as well. Another remarkable campaign from the Polish national team captain.
Story of the Season
June 12, 2021 will always be remembered as the day Christian Eriksen collapsed on a soccer pitch in a match between Finland and Denmark. Doctors attending the scene confirmed he theoretically died for a short while, and following his cardiac arrest, there was no hope he would return to playing.
Against all odds, Eriksen joined Premier League newcomers Brentford this season, and has been pivotal in helping them survive in the top flight of English soccer. 287 days after many feared the worst when he was playing for Denmark, the Dane returned to the national team and scored within just two minutes of his comeback.
Not even Hollywood writes scripts this emotionally gripping.
-Grant McQuillan
Twitter: @Grant_McQuillan