Chelsea and Italy midfielder Jorginho beat Blues team-mate N’Golo Kante and Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne in the race to be named UEFA men’s Player of the Year 2020/21.

Kante was voted the midfielder of the year, while Coach Thomas Tuchel took the men’s coach of the year award after guiding Chelsea to the Champions League.

Another Chelsea player, goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, was named goalkeeper of the year after keeping nine clean sheets during the run to lifting the Champions League. Manchester City’s Ruben Dias was named defender of the year after helping the club to their first Champions League final in his debut season with them.

Erling Braut Haaland, 21, of Borussia Dortmund was named the forward of the year.

Barcelona dominated the women’s awards, winning all but one of the individual awards as their captain Alexia Putellas claimed a double – the women’s Player of the Year award and the midfielder of the year.

Her team-mates Sandra Panos and Jennifer Hermoso were named goalkeeper and defender of the year respectively.

Manager Lluis Cortes was named coach of the year after claiming the Primeria Division title and guiding his side to their first Champions League triumph with victory over Chelsea in Gothenburg.

Paris St-Germain’s Irene Paredes took the defender of the year trophy to deny Barca a clean sweep.

Meanwhile, Denmark captain Simon Kjaer and the medical team that saved Christian Eriksen’s life during Euro 2020 were awarded the UEFA President’s Award by Aleksander Ceferin.

PHOTO/COURTESY