Cristiano Ronaldo won UEFA Best Player in Europe Award

Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo beat out Bayern Munich’s Arjen Robben and Manuel Neuer and won the UEFA Best Player in Europe award. Portugal’s winger Cristiano Ronaldo scored a record 17 goals to help Madrid win the Champions League last season. The voting was by journalists from UEFA‘s 54 member countries at the Champions League groups draw event. Ronaldo also ensured Portugal qualified for the World Cup by scoring a memorable hat trick in a playoff win against Sweden.

In past, the award was also won by Lionel Messi (Barcelona) (2010-11), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona) (2011-12 and Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich) (2012-13). UEFA created the prize after the original European Footballer of the Year honor, known as the Ballon d’Or, merged with FIFA’s world player award.

In final round he beat out Manuel Neure and Arjen Robben. Goalkeeper Neuer, 28, helped Germany win the World Cup, while Robben, 30, scored 21 goals for Bayern and three for the Netherlands on their way to the semi-final in Brazil. After winning the award, he said, “I’m really happy so I must say thanks to my team-mates because without the team, individual awards would not be possible.”

Ronaldo scored 51 goals and led the Real Madrid to European champions for a record 10th time to complete’ La Decima‘. Carlo Ancelotti’s men also won the Spanish Copa del Rey but finished third in La Liga. “Winning La Decima was amazing, something that Madrid had looked to do for many years. As Madrid players we feel as though you have to win the Champions League. It was a fantastic season – we won the Champions League, the Spanish Cup and the Uefa Super Cup,” C. Ronaldo said.

“Our target is to win it again – the Champions League, the Cup the League – everything.”

The rest of the top 10 nominees for UEFA Best Player in Europe Award 2014 are: