Odds for 2020 FIFA Best Men’s Player, Goalkeeper, and Coach All Come from Bayern Munich
- The 2020 Best FIFA Football Awards take place on December 17th and Bayern Munich are the front-runners in several categories
- Robert Lewandowski, Manuel Neuer, and boss Hans Flick are all favorites to take home awards for best player, best keeper, and best manager
- Will these three add to their already impressive 2020 and collect more silverware or are there other candidates who are worthy? Get the odds, preview, and best bet below
After an outstanding year where they won the quadruple, European champions Bayern Munich is on the verge of adding more hardware. But this time, it will be individual accolades.
The Best FIFA Football Awards are set to take place virtually on Thursday, December 17th in Zurich, Switzerland. Robert Lewandowski is the current favorite ahead of both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to win best player, while veteran shot-stopper Manuel Neuer looks on track to win best goalkeeper. Hans Flick, who took over the helm at Bayern just last November, currently has the best odds to win best manager after a miraculous first season in charge of the Bundesliga giants.
2020 FIFA Men’s Best Player Odds
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich) | -3330 |
| Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus) | +1000 |
| Lionel Messi (Barcelona) | +1200 |
Odds taken Dec 14th at William Hill
Lewandowski Coming Off Outstanding Season
Bayern’s star striker was world-class last term for the Bavarians, netting a total of 55 times across all competitions which was far above anyone else across Europe. Lewandowski is the ultimate opportunist in the final third and with tremendous service from the likes of Serge Gnabry, Alphonso Davies, and Thomas Muller, among others, it’s no surprise the Pole scored so many goals. When the 32-year old gets a chance in the box, it’s rare he doesn’t bury it.
He’s off to another fine start this season, already bagging 16 goals in 14 competitive appearances. Lewandowski has never won this award, with either Ronaldo or Messi usually taking home the honors. But given his importance to Bayern last season, as they went on to win four major trophies, it would be a massive surprise if he didn’t capture this prestigious award.
Pick: Robert Lewandowski -3330
2020 FIFA Best Keeper Odds
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich) | -300 |
| Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid) | +350 |
| Alisson (Liverpool) | +500 |
Neuer Leading the Pack
Bayern’s veteran goalkeeper is also a vital reason this side enjoyed so much success in 2020. Since this award was created in 2017, the German international has never won it, finishing in second spot behind Gianluigi Buffon that year.
But considering how dominant Neuer was in between the sticks last term, the award is his for the taking. The 34-year old started 33 out of 34 Bundesliga fixtures, conceding just 31 goals. Then in Europe, Neuer started all 11 games en route to a Champions League title while making some crucial saves in the latter stages of the competition. He also won UEFA Keeper of the Year already for the first time in his career.
As for the other two candidates, they could have a small array of hope. Jan Oblak started all 38 La Liga matches last season for Atletico Madrid, conceding just 27 times. The Slovenian is also the fastest keeper to collect 100 clean sheets in Spain’s top flight, grabbing 17 of them last term. In 11 matches this year, Oblak has let in just four goals.
Alisson was a massive part of Liverpool’s first Premier League title in 30 years, allowing less than a goal per match in 29 domestic appearances in 2019/20. Injuries kept him out for short periods of time, but nonetheless, it was a great season for the Brazilian keeper.
Despite Oblak’s impressive feat and Alisson playing well during the Reds title run, Neuer is the clear favorite here. He’s the ultimate leader and provided consistency day in and day out during Bayern’s quadruple.
Pick: Manuel Neuer -300
2020 FIFA Best Coach Odds
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Hansi Flick (Bayern) | -2000 |
| Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool) | +600 |
| Marcelo Bielsa (Leeds) | +1200 |
Flick the Clear Favorite
It’s truly remarkable what Hansi Flick accomplished in a calendar year while in charge of Bayern. After moving into an assistant coach role under Niko Kovacs in the summer of 2019, it wasn’t long until the Croatian was fired, which opened up the opportunity for Flick to take center stage in the dugout.
He was already named the UEFA Coach of the Year in October after leading the Bavarians to a UCL title, but it’s looking increasingly likely that Flick may collect this award as well. His side lost just four times last season in the Bundesliga and went a perfect 11-0-0 in Europe as they beat PSG in the final.
Jurgen Klopp certainly deserves credit as he steered Liverpool towards a league title. As for Marcelo Bielsa, his brilliant tactics and coaching abilities earned Leeds a promotion to England’s top flight for the first time in 16 years.
But the odds speak for themselves here. Flick is a heavy favorite at -2000, and for good reason. To lead a club to four trophies is impressive in itself, but to do it with a team you’ve only been in charge of for less than one year really speaks to the character and coaching abilities of the Bayern gaffer. This award has Hansi Flick’s name written all over it.
Pick: Hansi Flick -2000
Quinn Allen is a sports journalist, with a background and education in broadcast journalism (BCIT '17). He is a full-time associate editor at ClutchPoints by day, where he writes about soccer, baseball, basketball, football, and more. At night, Quinn is a frequent contributor at SBD.
