Twitter explodes as Robert Lewandowski beats Lionel Messi and Mo Salah to The Best FIFA Men's Player award

Lewandowski has won the award for a second straight year!

Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski has pipped both Lionel Messi and Mohamed Salah to The Best FIFA Men's Player award for 2021. The Poland captain enjoyed a remarkable campaign last term as he broke Gerd Muller's record for most goals scored in a single Bundesliga season.

While the award only considers the performance of each nominee from the 8th of October 2020 to 7th August 2021, Lewandowski still had the highest number of goals. The 33-year-old netted an astonishing 51 goals in 44 games during the aforementioned period.

In comparison, Lionel Messi found the back of the net just 43 times despite playing 13 more games. Meanwhile, Salah fired in just 26 goals even when he played an extra game (45) compared to Lewandowski.

Notably, the Polish marksman had won The Best FIFA Men's Player award in 2020 as well. Considering how he missed out on the Ballon d'Or to Lionel Messi in 2021, this award will come as a huge source of motivation for Lewandowski.

With his achievement, Lewandowski has gone level alongside Cristiano Ronaldo in terms of being the joint-highest winner in the history of The Best FIFA Men's Player award.

Lewandowski was announced as the winner of the 2021 edition of the award by Gianni Infantino at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.

Who were the other winners at the Best FIFA Awards?

Other winners in the men's category included Edouard Mendy (Best Goalkeeper) and Thomas Tuchel (Best Coach). Christiane Endler was named the Best Goalkeeper in the women's category while Emma Hayes won the best women's coach. Alexia Putellas was crowned as the the best women's player.

Erik Lamela was adjudged the winner of the Puskas Award for his goal against Arsenal.

In the wake of Lewandowski's crowning moment ahead of Lionel Messi and Salah, several fans expressed their opinions on Twitter.

On that note, here are some of the best reactions as Lewandowski retained his status as The Best FIFA Men's Player:

Robert Lewandowski is #TheBest FIFA Men’s Player 2021 and wins the award for the second consecutive year, congratulations! #RobertLewandowski https://t.co/AbvDfASFHI

The FIFA Men's Player of the Year winner is ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI!!!!

CONGRATS ROBERT, WELL DESERVED!

Best in the World!!!!!

Congrats on Robert Robert Lewandowski winning FIFA The Best 👏👏 i would have love to see Messi winning the award but no one can deny what an amazing striker Robert is 💪🏻

This year's fifa the best award is just sympathy d'or 😂

FIFA Best > Balon D’or

Good choice FIFA 👏🏾. Congratulations Lewandowski

Take that #Messi haha. You just win bc of the crappy journalists. Now it's #Lewy Time and you even loose an award to #CR7 haha. Love it. #TheBest

Congrats on winning #TheBest @lewy_official 👏

So a Ballon d'Or for Lewy is just a step too far then... 🤔 #TheBest

✨🌍 The Best FIFA Men's Player! 🌍✨

Many congratulations, Lewy! 🔴⚪

#TheBest #MiaSanMia @lewy_official https://t.co/b2QBl1Q5i6

Most Fifa the Best Awards

Cristiano Ronaldo 🇵🇹 2
Robert Lewandowski 🇵🇱 2
Messi 🇦🇷 1

This is what happens when there is no politics involved. Bdor is finished forever since 2018.

Lewandowski wins FIFA Men's Player Of the year. Well deserved.

I like this FIFA award. It makes more sense than the Ballon d'Or.

#TheBest

Ronaldo in Fifa FifPro 11 but not Salah who was top 3 in Fifa the best. An absolute joke.

FIFA > france ftbl

They saved the best award last... #TheBest congrats @Cristiano

#thebest Special award

Ronaldo- 1

Messi - 0

I know who the GOAT is twitter.com/fifaworldcup/s…

Like Mo said previously it's all politics and PR 🤦
#TheBest

هنا العدالة

#TheBest https://t.co/bow10liCzy

@lewy_official #TheBest
You deserve it, the best player in the world this time. They can't take it away from you.

Best Fifa Men's Player is ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI!

The reigning champ 👑

#TheBest #bbcfootball

FIFA the worst has officially become the consolation award for those who didn't win awards at the ballon d'Or ceremony

🚨Fans from Denmark🇩🇰 and Finland🇫🇮 win the Fans award. #TheBest https://t.co/pPnimkttdC

FIFPro World XI:

Donnarumma

Alaba
Bonucci
Dias

De Bruyne
Jorginho
Kante

Haaland
Cristiano
Messi
Lewandowski

#TheBest

#TheBest 💙❤

https://t.co/1TbwIf7m8g

🚨 Thomas Tuchel is the #TheBest FIFA Men’s Coach 2021!

Tuchel had a year to remember with Chelsea! https://t.co/qnv4uGzaRK