Ronaldo eyes more FIFA success as Real Madrid dominate awards

LONDON, United Kingdom – Cristiano Ronaldo has set his sights on a “lucky seventh” piece of FIFA silverware after collecting his 5th Men’s Player of the Year award on Monday, October 23.

Ronaldo’s Real Madrid side, who won both La Liga and the Champions League last season, dominated the 2017 Best FIFA football awards at a star-studded ceremony in London. 

The Portuguese ace has scored 44 goals in just 48 games for his club and country so far this calendar year, including two in a 4-1 Champions League final win over Juventus in Cardiff in June.

Ronaldo faced competition from longstanding Barcelona rival Lionel Messi and Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar, the world’s most expensive player.

But, typical of a footballer who has enjoyed huge success at both Manchester United and Real, Ronaldo was not satisfied.

“I want 7. Five is good but 7 is my lucky number so 7 would be great.”

Real boss Zinedine Zidane took the corresponding manager of the year award, with the Spanish giants providing 5 players in the FIFPro team of the year.

Ronaldo won the inaugural Best FIFA men’s player of the year award last year following the end of a 6-year merger between the FIFA honor and France Football’s Ballon D’Or.

The 32 year-old previously won the FIFA World Player of the Year award, the precursor to the Best FIFA award, in 2008.

He has now won the last two FIFA men’s trophies as well as 3 out of the last 4 Ballon D’Or awards.

“Thanks a lot for voting for me,” said Ronaldo after receiving his trophy from Argentina great Diego Maradona and Brazil’s Ronaldo at the London Palladium theater.

“I mention Leo and Neymar, great to be here. Real Madrid supporters, my team mates, my coach, they all support me all year. We are in England for the first time and I win consecutive awards. This is a great moment for me. I have fans all over the world,” he added.

Zidane won out ahead of Chelsea’s Antonio Conte and Juventus’s Massimiliano Allegri to be crowned men’s coach of the year after becoming the first man to oversee a successful defense of the European Cup in the Champions League era.

“I’d like to thank all of the players for making this possible,” said Zidane. “This is a very special prize.”

Real’s superb campaign was recognized in a FIFPro team that featured Ronaldo and club mates Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Marcelo, and Sergio Ramos.

The XI also included FIFA’s goalkeeper of the year, Gianluigi Buffon. 

AC Milan’s Leonardo Bonucci and PSG’s Dani Alves were in the defense, with Barcelona playmaker Andres Iniesta in a side also featuring Messi and Neymar.

Giroud wins best goal

Juventus and Italian shot-stopper Buffon topped a 3-strong shortlist for the goalkeeper award ahead of Real’s Keylor Navas and Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer.

The Puskas Award for the best goal of 2017 went to Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud.

The French striker received the award named in honor of Hungary great Ferenc Puskas for a spectacular “scorpion-kick” against Crystal Palace in January.

The Frenchman’s flicked volley with his left foot that went in off the crossbar won ahead of goals from Venezuela’s Deyna Castellanos, 18; and South African goalkeeper Oscarine Masuluke.

 

Meanwhile tournament hosts the Netherlands’ achievement in winning its first major female football title, the 2017 Women’s European Championship, was recognized with Women’s Coach of the Year and Player of the Year awards for Sarina Wiegman and Lieke Martens respectively.

Supporters of Celtic won the Fan Award for the way they marked the 50th anniversary of the Glasgow club’s European Cup triumph.

The Fair Play award went to Francis Kone for saving the life of goalkeeper Martin Berkovec, who nearly suffocated as a result of swallowing his tongue during a Czech league match in February.

 

Voting for the bulk of the awards was equally weighted between national team captains and coaches, media, and fans. – Rappler.com