Last season's top scorer in the English Premier League (EPL), Elling Holland (Manchester City), has been named European soccer's brightest star for the 2022-2023 season.
UEFA honored players who excelled on the European stage last season during the draw for the 2023-2024 UEFA Champions League (UCL) group stages at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco on Monday (July 1).
The fan favorite, the 2022-2023 UEFA Men's World Player of the Year, was awarded to "monster striker" Holland, who scored 52 goals in 53 official matches last season.
Having been named PFA Player of the Year at the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) awards ceremony on March 30, he was named UEFA's "Europe's Brightest Star" just two days later.
Holland helped Manchester City to a three-trophy treble last season, winning the English Premier League (EPL), the Football Association (FA) Cup and the UEFA Champions League (UCL).
His best season came in his debut season in the EPL, when he scored 36 goals (eight assists) to set a new single-season record, and in the UCL, when he netted 52 goals in 53 official matches, including 12 goals (one assist).
Holland received 352 points in the voting for the UEFA World Player of the Year, beating out Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain, now Inter Miami - 227 points) and teammates Kevin De Bruyne (Man City - 225 points) and Ilkay Gundogan (Man City, now Barcelona - 129 points).
Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola, who oversaw City's treble last season, was named UEFA Men's Coach of the Year, while the Women's Coach of the Year honor went to Sarina Vigman, who led the England Women's National Team to the 2022 UEFA Women's European Championship (Euro).
The UEFA Women's Player of the Year was Anitana Bonmati (Barcelona), who helped Spain win the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023. 파워볼사이트