Cristiano Ronaldo has once again been named as Europe’s Best Player outshining Gareth Bale and Antoine Griezmann in the 2015-2016 honour. Ronaldo who played a major role in ensuring that Portugal won the Euro 2016 cup and also seeing a win for his club Real Madrid in the Champions League last term, received the prize in Monaco.
The award comes after Madrid were drawn in the Champions Leagues’ Group F for the current season with Borussia Dortmund, Sporting Lisbon and Legia Warsaw yesterday night. Ronaldo had already gone past his competitor Lionel Messi in the later stage of voting, which concluded on the three players being shortlisted finally.
The Argentinean, Lionel Messi and Ronaldo are the only two players that have won the prize twice. Messi was the first one to win it in 2010-11 and he was the holder last year, while Ronaldo won 2013-14 season. The award was chosen after journalists from UEFA’s 55 member association were asked to give an opinion concerning their own five choices as the best player in the continent last season. Ronaldo, Bale, and Griezmann were then mentioned.
Ronaldo went ahead to thank the journalist most especially for picking on him, and in a statement he say, “My team-mates are key, they are the key every year. I worked hard myself but without the help of my team-mates this would not be possible. Thanks to my teammates from Real Madrid and Portugal.”He continues to say, “I mention Portugal because it was the first in their history. It was different because I’ve won the Champions League three times; to win something with Portugal was the highlight of my career.”
