It is also defined by the kind of honours he wins for his team. A third Champions League title for himself (one each previously for United and Madrid), and 11th overall for Real Madrid and European Championship success for Portugal – their first ever triumph in any major tournament – were the cherries on top of a cake he has dedicated his entire life baking
It’s that last success that probably earns him the honour above all else. Him and his arch-rival Lionel Messi have often been maligned with accusations that despite all their individual, and club-based glories, they have never inspired their national team to success. That is something that can never be flung again at Ronaldo. He wasn’t his usual free-scoring self, but he did lead his team to the final and even when on the sidelines for that massive match (he did, after all, come off early in the first half in the final against France) he was an inspirational force of nature – yelling, cajoling, shouting out instructions as took on the role of impromptu assistant coach.
This is why he trumps all else this year – a 2016 that gave him his crowning achievements as a football player
His closest rival for the award – as ever – was Lionel Messi, but the Argentine couldn’t match his great rival’s international success despite winning a league and cup double for Barcelona, and outscoring him over the calendar year (he has 58 goals and 32 assists in 61 matches for club and country). But the lack of continental and European success is what arguably allowed Ronaldo to slip ahead, As ever with these two – it is all a matter of the finest of margins.
Luis Suarez was another contender – and as an individual award, it can be argued that he out-performed both Ronaldo and his teammate Messi in terms of pure numbers and impact on the games he played in, but a dodgy past filled with all sorts of misdemeanours, and a character that is more selfless and sacrificing than the other two, may well meant that the former Liverpool superstar is always going to be overlooked for these kinds of awards. That no. 4 ranking is testament to that
Ever the brilliant statesman, Ronaldo has said that “If Portugal or Real Madrid had not won, I would not have won this. The team always comes first!”
Ronaldo and Messi are also on the three-man shortlist for the BEST FIFA Men’s Player of the Year award – alongside France and Atletico Madrid sensation Antoine Griezmann – with the award set to be presented in a Gala Ceremony in Zurich on January the 9th, 2017
The question now is, can Ronaldo do the double over Messi this year.
Here’ s the full list of the 19 who actually got enough votes to make the list.
As a heads up, this is what it means – Each journalist picks 3 players : 1st gets 5pts, 2nd gets 3pts and 3rd 1pt. As simple as that
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