Jorginho has been named as Uefa’s Men’s Footballer of the Year following his impressive performance for both club and country in the 2020-21 season.
The midfielder played a crucial role in helping Chelsea secure their second Champions League title in May this year before helping Italy win the Uefa Euro 2020 two months later.
Jorginho managed to fend off competition from Manchester City playmaker and Chelsea teammate N’Golo Kante to the Men’s Player of the Year award.
“Hi everybody, I’m very sorry I can’t be there at this important moment, due to the restrictions that we all know about. I can’t be there, but I wanted to say that I’m very happy with this award,” Jorginho said.
“I would like to say thank you to all the people who made their contribution to making this happen.
“A big thanks from the heart to all the people who helped me on this route, to my family, to my friends, to the supporters, to my teammates, to the coaches. I’m very happy. A hug to everybody.”
Blues head coach Thomas Tuchel was named Coach of the Year for his fine campaign with the side, beating Man City’s Pep Guardiola and Italy’s Roberto Mancini to the accolade.
“It’s fantastic to see your players having rewards like this,’ Tuchal told his club’s official website.
‘It shows their individual potential and at the same time they are true team players and fantastic characters. I am very happy for them.’
Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy also bagged the Uefa Men’s Champions League Goalkeeper of the Year after he kept a record-breaking nine clean sheets en route to our late May final victory.
‘For me, it’s a beautiful thing to have this award,’ said Mendy on receiving the accolade. ‘But like I said before, we won this trophy, the Champions League, as a team and group.
‘I would like to thank my teammates, my coach for the trust and my goalkeeper coaches Hilario and James Russell because we are always together. Of course, Willy Caballero and Kepa as well because they helped me a lot during the last season.
‘Now we look forward to the new season and we will try to do the same and even better if we can.’
Man City defender Ruben Dias won the Men’s Champions League Defender of the Year award after seeing off competition from Chelsea defensive duo Cesar Azpilicueta and Antonio Rudiger to win the award.
Dias subsequently proved one of the key pillars of a rock-solid defence, which kept eight clean sheets and conceded just five goals during last season’s European campaign.
“I would like to say I am very happy to receive the award. It means a lot to me and I would like to say thank you to everyone who took part in it,” Dias told his club’s official website.
Kante beat off competition from his Blues teammate Jorginho, as well as Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne to snatch the Uefa Men’s Champions League Player of the Year award following his outstanding display in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
‘I’m very pleased to have won this award,” Kante said.
‘It’s been the result of a great season last year in the Champions League and I want to thank all my teammates and the club for getting me there.’
Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland walked away with the Uefa Men’s Forward of the Year award after he had managed a total of 10 goals in eight games in the Champions League in 2020-21 and was the top-scorer in the competition.
“It is a great honour for me to receive this prestigious award – an award that motivates me to work even harder and keep improving,” Haaland told his club’s official website.
“Thank you to everyone who voted for me and thank you to everyone who supports me every day. Thanks also to my teammates who contributed to this exceptional award.
“Now it’s time to start again. It’s time for the Champions League and I can’t wait.”
Full list of Uefa Champions League winners:
Uefa Men’s Champions League award winners:
Jorginho: Uefa Champions League Player of the Season.
Thomas Tuchel: Uefa Champions League Coach of the Season.
Edouard Mendy: Uefa Champions League Goalkeeper of the Season.
Rúben Dias: Uefa Champions League Defender of the Season.
N’Golo Kanté: Uefa Champions League Midfielder of the Season.
Erling Haaland: Uefa Champions League Forward of the Season.
Uefa Women’s Champions League award winners:
Alexia Putellas: Uefa Women’s Champions League Player of the Season.
Lluís Cortés: Uefa Women’s Champions League Coach of the Season.
Sandra Paños: Uefa Women’s Champions League Goalkeeper of the Season.
Irene Paredes: Uefa Women’s Champions League Defender of the Season.
Alexia Putellas: Uefa Women’s Champions League Midfielder of the Season.
Jennifer Hermoso: Uefa Women’s Champions League Forward of the Season.
2021 Uefa President’s Award winners:
Finally, during the awards ceremony, the medical team that saved the life of Denmark player Christian Eriksen at Uefa EURO 2020, and Danish national team captain Simon Kjær, were the recipients of the prestigious award.
