Lewandowski garnered 435 votes to retain the crown he won for the first time last year, the aipsmedia.com website reported.
Dutch Formula 1 driver Max Verstappen came in runner-up, with 349 votes, while Argentina's football ace Lionel Messi finished third, with 314 votes, in the poll held among 529 journalists from 114 countries.
Meanwhile, Jamaican athletics star Elaine Thompson-Herah was named the best female athlete of 2021.
The International Sports and Press Association brings together more than 10,000 journalists in 161 countries, representing leading daily newspapers, periodicals and radio and television channels across five continents, according to aipsmedia.com.
The organization was founded in 1924 during the Olympic Games in Paris.
Lewandowski on Monday won two Globe Soccer Awards in the United Arab Emirates for his goal scoring exploits this year.
At the end of last month, the 33-year-old Polish marksman was announced Striker of the Year and overall runner-up in the annual Ballon d’Or vote held by France Football magazine.
(gs)
Source: PAP, aipsmedia.com