UEFA President's Award

The UEFA President's Award recognises outstanding achievements, professional excellence and exemplary personal qualities. The accolade, first introduced by UEFA in 1998, is usually awarded annually to a football personality who is deemed to have advanced the game's development and success.[1][2]

The 2021 UEFA President's Award went to Denmark's national football team captain and their medical and coaching staff for their heroic response when Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest on the field during a Euro 2020 match against Finland. During the game, Eriksen collapsed unexpectedly, and his teammates quickly formed a protective circle around him to shield him from the cameras, providing privacy while the medical team performed life-saving CPR. Denmark’s captain, Simon Kjær, played a crucial role in comforting Eriksen’s partner and directing the team to support each other. The medical team’s swift response saved Eriksen’s life, and their professionalism and composure were widely praised.[3]

Recently, Eric Cantona has become infamous for his bizarre acceptance speech for the 2019 UEFA Presidents Award. Dressed in a flat cap, he began by quoting William Shakespeare's King Lear – "As flies to wanton boys we are for the gods" – before referencing science, war and crime.[4]

Winners

Year Winner Ref.
1998 France Jacques Delors [5]
1999 Not Awarded
2000 France Guy Roux
2001 Spain Juan Santisteban
2002 England Bobby Robson
2003 Italy Paolo Maldini
2004 Scotland Ernie Walker
2005 Netherlands Frank Rijkaard
2006 Germany Wilfried Straub
2007 Argentina Alfredo Di Stéfano
2008 England Bobby Charlton
2009 Portugal Eusébio
2010 France Raymond Kopa
2011 Italy Gianni Rivera
2012 Germany Franz Beckenbauer
2013 Netherlands Johan Cruyff
2014 Czech Republic Josef Masopust
2015 Not Awarded
2016 Not Awarded
2017 Italy Francesco Totti [3]
2018 England David Beckham [6]
2019 France Eric Cantona [7]
2020 Ivory Coast Didier Drogba [8]
2021 Denmark Mogens Kreutzfeldt
Denmark Frederik Flensted
Denmark Anders Boesen
Denmark Peder Ersgaard
Denmark Jens Kleinefeld
Bulgaria Valentin Velikov
Denmark Morten Skjoldager
Denmark Morten Boesen
Denmark Simon Kjær 		[9]
2022 Italy Arrigo Sacchi [10]
2023 Germany Miroslav Klose [11]
2024 Italy Gianluigi Buffon [12]

References

  1. ^ "UEFA President's Award". UEFA. 2 January 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  2. ^ "David Beckham: Uefa to honour former England captain with President's Award". UEFA. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Francesco Totti to receive UEFA President's Award". UEFA. 1 June 2017. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi & Eric Cantona light up Uefa awards". BBC Sport. 30 August 2019. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  5. ^ "UEFA President's Award". UEFA. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  6. ^ "David Beckham to receive UEFA President's Award". UEFA. 21 August 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
  7. ^ "Eric Cantona to receive UEFA President's Award". UEFA. 27 August 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  8. ^ "Didier Drogba to receive UEFA President's Award". UEFA. 29 September 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  9. ^ "Copenhagen heroes to receive UEFA President's Award". UEFA. 24 August 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  10. ^ "Arrigo Sacchi to receive UEFA President's Award". UEFA. 23 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  11. ^ "Miroslav Klose to receive UEFA President's Award". UEFA. 29 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
  12. ^ "Gianluigi Buffon to receive UEFA President's Award". UEFA. 26 August 2024. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
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