UEFA President's Award

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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] 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. [3]

Contents

Winners

YearWinnerRef.
1998 Flag of France.svg Jacques Delors [4]
1999Not Awarded
2000 Flag of France.svg Guy Roux
2001 Flag of Spain.svg Juan Santisteban
2002 Flag of England.svg Bobby Robson
2003 Flag of Italy.svg Paolo Maldini
2004 Flag of Scotland.svg Ernie Walker
2005 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Frank Rijkaard
2006 Flag of Germany.svg Wilfried Straub
2007 Flag of Argentina.svg Alfredo Di Stéfano
2008 Flag of England.svg Bobby Charlton
2009 Flag of Portugal.svg Eusébio
2010 Flag of France.svg Raymond Kopa
2011 Flag of Italy.svg Gianni Rivera
2012 Flag of Germany.svg Franz Beckenbauer
2013 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Johan Cruyff
2014 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Josef Masopust
2015Not Awarded
2016Not Awarded
2017 Flag of Italy.svg Francesco Totti [5]
2018 Flag of England.svg David Beckham [6]
2019 Flag of France.svg Eric Cantona [7]
2020 Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg Didier Drogba [8]
2021 Flag of Denmark.svg Mogens Kreutzfeldt
Flag of Denmark.svg Frederik Flensted
Flag of Denmark.svg Anders Boesen
Flag of Denmark.svg Peder Ersgaard
Flag of Denmark.svg Jens Kleinefeld
Flag of Bulgaria.svg Valentin Velikov
Flag of Denmark.svg Morten Skjoldager
Flag of Denmark.svg Morten Boesen
Flag of Denmark.svg Simon Kjær
[9]
2022 Flag of Italy.svg Arrigo Sacchi [10]
2023 Flag of Germany.svg Miroslav Klose [11]
2024 Flag of Italy.svg Gianluigi Buffon [12]

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References

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