FIFA women's player of the year dedicates award to the late Houllier

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

VIDEO SHOWS: VIRTUAL NEWS CONFERENCES FOLLOWING THE FIFA BEST AWARDS AND FEATURING WINNER OF THE BEST FIFA WOMEN'S PLAYER 2020 AWARD LUCY BRONZE AND WINNER OF BEST COACH WIN WOMEN'S GAME SARINA WIEGMAN

SHOWS:

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (DECEMBER 17, 2020) (FIFA - ACCESS ALL)

1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) WINNER OF THE BEST FIFA WOMEN'S PLAYER 2020, LUCY BRONZE, SAYING:

"I mean, Lyon, yeah, it's always a successful club. You always have expectations of having to win the Champions League. Every single year, every single team wants to knock Lyon out. But yeah, moving back to Manchester and getting off to a pretty good start, getting into a Cup final straight away and winning that. Getting some silverware. Advancing through in the Champions League. Yeah, it's a pretty good feeling to be back home and winning trophies on English soil again."

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND (DECEMBER 17, 2020) (FIFA - SEE RESTRICTIONS ABOVE)

2. PRESENTER ASKING IF THERE IS A SPECIAL DEDICATION WITH HER PRIZE

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (DECEMBER 17, 2020) (FIFA - ACCESS ALL)

3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) WINNER OF THE BEST FIFA WOMEN'S PLAYER 2020, LUCY BRONZE, SAYING:

"I think, given the news this week of (former Liverpool and Lyon coach) Gerard Houllier passing, I think Sarah (Bouhaddi) will have similar thoughts to myself. A guy who was a huge influence at the club at Lyon. Quite specifically with myself, he was the first person - he used to make a little A-line straight to me after games and would always come and put his arm around me before big games. I think it was the scouser in him, that just attracted him - the northern England player in me. But he was a guy, I mean, the players that he worked with throughout his career were phenomenal. And for that kind of person to even spend a small amount of time with me, but to have given me all the advice over the past two or three years. And to show up to England games, he came to watch me in England games as well in the World Cup was just phenomenal. So, I think in the wake of the sad news this week, the award has to be dedicated to him. Yeah, a huge loss and I'm just thankful for everything that he did for me."

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND (DECEMBER 17, 2020) (FIFA - SEE RESTRICTIONS ABOVE)

4. PRESENTER ASKING THE BEST WOMEN'S COACH OF THE YEAR 2020, SARINA WIEGMAN, ABOUT WINNING HER AWARD

UNKNOWN LOCATION (DECEMBER 17, 2020) (FIFA - SEE RESTRICTIONS ABOVE)

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) WINNER OF THE BEST WOMEN'S COACH OF THE YEAR 2020, SARINA WIEGMAN, SAYING:

"Of course, I'm really honoured. I was already really honoured that I was with the three (finalists for the award) again. And of course, Emma Hayes (Chelsea coach) does a very good job. And Jean-Luc Vasseur (Lyon coach) has done a really good job with Olympique Lyon, sets a standard worldwide all the time. And yes, I was a little surprised. But I'm also, of course, very happy and very honoured with this recognition."

STORY: Shortly after being named The Best FIFA Women's Player 2020 on Thursday (December 17), Manchester City full back Lucy Bronze dedicated her award to former France manager Gerard Houllier who died earlier this week.

Bronze said the fabled coach took an interest in her during her time at Olympique Lyonnais saying he would look out for her before and after big matches and that he would even come out to watch her play for England.

Bronze, who is the first female English player to take the prize, also said she was happy to be playing back on English soil and to be bringing silverware home with Manchester City.

Netherlands' Sarina Wiegman said she was honoured to have won The Best Women's Coach award for the second time after previously winning in 2017.

(Production: Mussab Al-Khairalla, Kurt Michael Hall)