Cristiano Ronaldo on Monday set his sights on a “lucky seventh” piece of FIFA silverware after collecting his fifth Player of the Year award.
Ronaldo’s Real Madrid side, who won both La Liga and the UEFA Champions League last season, dominated this year’s FIFA awards at a star-studded ceremony in London.
The Portuguese ace has scored 44 goals in just 48 games for club and country so far this calendar year, including two in a 4-1 Champions League final win over Juventus in Cardiff on June 3.
Photo: AFP
Ronaldo saw off competition from longstanding Barcelona rival Lionel Messi and Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar, the world’s most expensive player, but, typical of a player who has enjoyed huge success at both Manchester United and Real, Ronaldo was not satisfied.
“I want seven. Five is good, but seven is my lucky number, so seven would be great,” Ronaldo said.
Real boss Zinedine Zidane took the Manager of the Year award, with the Spanish giants providing five players in the FIFPro Team of the Year.
Ronaldo won the inaugural FIFA Player of the Year award last year following the end of a six-year merger between the FIFA honor and France Football’s Ballon D’Or.
Ronaldo has now won the past two FIFA trophies, as well as three of the past four Ballon D’Or awards.
“Thanks a lot for voting for me,” Ronaldo said after receiving his trophy from Argentina great Diego Maradona and Brazil’s Ronaldo at the London Palladium. “I mention Leo and Neymar, great to be here. Real Madrid supporters, my teammates, 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.”
Zidane won ahead of Chelsea’s Antonio Conte and Juventus’ Massimiliano Allegri to be crowned FIFA 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,” Zidane said. “This is a very special prize.”
Real’s superb campaign was recognized in a FIFPro team that featured Ronaldo and teammates Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Marcelo and Sergio Ramos.
The XI also included FIFA Goalkeeper of the Year, Gianluigi Buffon.
AC Milan’s Leonardo Bonucci and Paris Saint-Germain’s Dani Alves were in defense, with Barcelona playmaker Andres Iniesta in a side also featuring Messi and Neymar.
The Puskas Award for the best goal of the year went to Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud.
The France 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 by Venezuela’s Deyna Castellanos, 18, and South African goalkeeper Oscarine Masuluke.
Meanwhile, tournament hosts the Netherlands’ achievement in winning their first major female title, the Women’s European Championship, was recognized with the Women’s Coach of the Year and Player of the Year awards for Sarina Wiegman and Lieke Martens respectively.
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