Portugal and Real Madrid star Christiano Ronaldo is the 2016 FIFA Player of the Year.
ADVERTISEMENTFIFA have rebranded their player of the year award, and the first winner of the new-look prize is the player who has won everything this year, Portugal and Real Madrid’s Christiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo won the old version of the award in 2008, and in 2013 and 14 when it was jointly organised with France Football magazine.
“This is the first time that I have won this award, and I’m very happy. I’d like to thank my teammates in the Portuguese national side, Real Madrid, and my coach. I hope my coach wins the manager’s award next time,” said Ronaldo.
This year there was only really one possible winner for manager of the year. That went to Claudio Ranieri, who took unfancied no-hopers Leicester to premier league glory in England.
“It’s a fantastic evening, for me only to be here with a lot of legends, and now to win this award, I’m crazy now, I’m very crazy. Thank you so much for voting for me. Of course I want to thank my family, my wife, my agents, my chairman , and my players. Without them, it’s difficult for a manager to win something,” he said.
Lionel Messi was the runner-up, with France’s Antoine Griezmann third.