Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo finished outside the top three in UEFA Player of the Year 2019-20 award as Robert Lewandowski swept the trophies at the UEFA Club awards in Switzerland on Thursday. Lewandowski, who guided Bayern to a UEFA Champions League win, won the Best Men’s Player of the Year as well as the Best Forward of the Year awards leaving both Ronaldo and Messi behind in the race for the title. Messi finished fourth in the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year race while Ronaldo came 10th in what was a disappointing season for the superstars. UEFA Men's Player of the Year 2019-20: No Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi in Final Shortlist For First Time in 10 Years.

Ronaldo also finished eighth in the race for UEFA Forward of the Year award while Messi shared the fifth position with Erling Braut Haaland. Messi had won the award last season while Ronaldo had clinched it the season before. But both suffered disappointing European campaigns last season with neither players making the Champions League final. Messi’s Barcelona were thrashed 8-2 in the UCL 2019-20 semi-final while Ronaldo’s Juventus crashed out from the round of 16 stage. Kevin de Bruyne, Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmic Walk Away With UEFA Awards 2019-20.

UEFA Forward of the Year

Lewandowski, who scored 55 goals in 47 matches last season and 15 in the Champions League, won the UEFA Forward of the Year award for the first time in his career after winning maiden UCL title. Paris Saint-Germain forwards Kylian Mbappe and Neymar finished second and third in the awards shortlist with Serge Gnabry, Messi and Haaland completing the top five. Check Full List

UEFA Men's Player of the Year

Messi and Ronaldo were also left disappointed after finishing outside the top three even in the UEFA Best Men’s Player of the Year 2019-20 award shortlist. Lewandowski won the trophy beating Kevin de Bruyne of Manchester City and Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to the trophy. Messi and Neymar shared the fourth position with 53 votes while Ronaldo just finished inside the top 10 with 25 votes. Check Full List

Ronaldo last won the Best Men’s Player of the Year award in 2016-17 while Messi lifted the award in 2014-15. Ronaldo finished second behind Real Madrid teammate Luca Modric in 2017-18 while Messi came second to Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk last year. Both the superstars will be eager to win the Best Player Trophy this year.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 02, 2020 11:31 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).