If the forwards are the players for whom the clubs, on average, pay the most money, it is because the goals are what give the titles and help meet the objectives. The goal is expensive and, as a general rule, ends up being rewarded. The first edition of the World Football Summit and AS Best Player and Player of the Year Awards is a true reflection of that trend to reward the work of scorers. Robert Lewandowski (Warsaw, 1988) and Pernille Harder (Ikast, 1992), the top two scorers of the year in men's and women's soccer, respectively, have been voted Best Player and Female Player of 2020 in a verdict in which AS.com internet users and a specialized jury participated.
The merits of each one made it really difficult to think that another footballer could snatch the awards from them. Lewandowski was the top scorer in the Bundesliga (34 goals in 30 games) and in the Champions League (15 in 10), two competitions he won with Bayern, with which he also won the Pokal, the German Super Cup and the European Super Cup. The Pole was also voted UEFA Best Player of the Year and is the big favorite to win the FIFA The Best. His teammate Kimmich was second in the vote and Messi was third.
In the same situation of favoritism he was Pernille Harder, Europe's top scorer last season with Wolfsburg, with whom he scored 38 goals and led to winning the German Cup and League and reaching the Champions League final, in which he fell to Lyon. The Danish, who this season signed for Chelsea, was ahead of French Wendie Renard, from Olympique Lyon, and Spanish Jenni Hermoso, from Barcelona.
The vote of the Internet users of AS.com had a value to choose the finalists of 25%, while that of the jury of World Football Summit and AS was 75%. The jury is made up of Vicente Jiménez, director of AS; Alfredo Relaño, honorary president of AS; Santiago Segurola, columnist for AS; María Jesús Luengo, editor-in-chief of AS; José Sámano, editor-in-chief of Sports of The country; Aritz Gabilondo, journalist from AS; Alejandro Gómez, director of AS México; Axel Torres, columnist for AS; Carmen Colino, editor-in-chief of Verticales de AS; Dani Garrido, director of Sports Carousel of the CHAIN SER; Mayca Jiménez, journalist for AS; Manu Carreño, director of The Beam of the SER Chain; Sarah Castro, director of AS Colombia; Aimara Garteizgoxeascoa Gil, journalist for AS; and Mario Brisso, director of AS Chile.
The prizes will be delivered virtually on November 27 at a gala that can be followed through AS.com. These awards will be included in the WFS Industry Awards, which will be given at the WFS Live congress, which will be held online between November 23 and 27 and will be closed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino.