Jorginho and Putellas win UEFA Player of the Year awards

[August 27, 2021]    ISTANBUL (Reuters) -Chelsea and Italy midfielder Jorginho was named European soccer body UEFA's men's Player of the Year for 2020-21 on Thursday while Barcelona's Alexia Putellas won the women's award.

Chelsea's Jorginho reacts REUTERS/David Klein

Brazilian-born Jorginho, 29, won the Champions League and European championship with club and country this year.

Chelsea's Thomas Tuechel was voted men's coach of the year and Barcelona's Lluis Cortes took the trophy for women's coach.

The awards were announced at the Champions League draw in Istanbul.

Jorginho was already cast as the favourite on an all-midfield short list of three, with Manchester City's Kevin de Bruyne and Chelsea team mate N'Golo Kante the other contenders.

UEFA said Jorginho had won 175 points in the voting by coaches and journalists, to De Bruyne's 167 and Kante's 160. Argentine Lionel Messi, a six times Ballon d'Or winner, was fourth with 148.

Spain midfielder and Barcelona captain Putellas, who beat club team mates Jenni Hermoso and Lieke Martens to the trophy, won the women's Champions League in May.

(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in LondonEditing by Chris Reese and Pritha Sarkar)

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