Joshua Kimmich: Champions League Defender of the Season

Bayern's Joshua Kimmich has won the Defender of the Season award for the 2019/20 UEFA Champions League campaign.

Kimmich, 25, enjoyed a stellar season with Bayern, helping them to the treble of UEFA Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup. The versatile full-back started all but one of the 11 fixtures in their triumphant European campaign, and set up Kingsley Coman for the winner in the final victory over Paris in Lisbon. The award was announced during the 2020/21 UEFA Champions League group stage draw in Geneva.

Defender of the Season voting

1 Joshua Kimmich (Bayern) – 161 points
2 Alphonso Davies (Bayern) – 138 points
3 David Alaba (Bayern) – 119 points
4 Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool) – 79 points
5 Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain) – 54 points
6 Dayot Upamecano (RB Leipzig) – 46 points
7 Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) – 35 points
8 Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain) – 21 points
9 Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool) – 10 points
10 Matthijs de Ligt (Juventus) – 8 points

Kimmich's 2019/20 in numbers

Achievements: UEFA Champions League winner, Bundesliga winner, German Cup winner, UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season

UEFA Champions League
Appearances: 11
Goals: 2
Assists: 3

Domestic league
Appearances: 33
Goals: 4
Assists: 9

Kimmich testimonials

"The epitome of a professional footballer, who also stands for what makes Bayern what it is. Football is his hobby, his job, his lifeblood."
Jupp Heynckes, former Bayern coach

“He’s learned incredibly quickly. He’s found his role in the team and has matured. He’s now at a level where he could play for any team in the world.”
Xabi Alonso, former Bayern midfielder

"I see him as a top right-back, left-back, centre-back, No6, No8, No10 … he has qualities to be anything. He's intelligent and understands what he has to do here and what he has to do there. I think he's phenomenal – absolutely phenomenal player."
José Mourinho, Tottenham manager

How Kimmich was chosen

The jury comprised the coaches of the 32 clubs in the 2019/20 UEFA Champions League group stage, together with 55 journalists selected by the European Sports Media (ESM) group, one from every UEFA member association. Coaches were not allowed to vote for players from their own teams.

Jury members chose their top three players per position, with the first receiving five points, the second three and the third one. The player who received the most points in each category was named the winner.

The other award winners

UEFA Men's Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
UEFA Women's Player of the Year: Pernille Harder
Men's Coach of the Year: Hansi Flick
Women's Coach of the Year: Jean-Luc Vasseur 
Men's Goalkeeper of the Season: Manuel Neuer
Men's Midfielder of the Season: Kevin De Bruyne
Men's Forward of the Season: Robert Lewandowski
Women's Goalkeeper of the Season: Sarah Bouhaddi
Women's Defender of the Season: Wendie Renard
Women's Midfielder of the Season: Dzsenifer Marozsán
Women's Forward of the Season: Pernille Harder
UEFA President’s Award: Didier Drogba