MUNICH: Germany and Bayern Munich’s goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was belatedly presented with his AIPS and AIPS Europe trophies in Munich on Wednesday for the best male athlete award of 2014.Widely regarded as the best keeper in the world, Neuer won the 2014 FIFA World Cup with Germany as well as the Golden Glove award that year. During the season in consideration for the award he was crowned the German footballer of the year and finished third in the FIFA Ballon d’Or.

AIPS EUROPE President and AIPS Vice President Ioannis Daras and AIPS Football Commission Secretary General and VDS Vice President, Hans Joachim Zwingmann, presented the German with the two awards at the Bayern TV studio just after his training session with his teammates.

Neuer, was pleased to receive the trophies and thanked AIPS and AIPS EUROPE for this great honor.

The 29-year-old is only the third footballer to be honoured by the continental body since 1983 when AIPS Europe then UEPS began picking the Europe’s Sportsman of the Year. Michel Platini won the award in 1984 and Lothar Matthäus the 1990 trophy.

 

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Picture: AIPS EUROPE President and AIPS Vice President Ioannis Daras and AIPS Football Commission Secretary General and VDS Vice President, Hans Joachim Zwingmann(left) preset the AIPS trophies to Manuel Neuer(centre) at the Bayern Munich TV studios on Wednesday.