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Ronaldo seeks seventh heaven

Real Madrid superstar retains Player of the Year award, wants two more

Cristiano Ronaldo has set his sights on a "lucky seventh" piece of Fifa silverware after collecting his fifth Player of the Year award yesterday morning (Singapore time).

His Real Madrid side, who won last season's La Liga and the Champions League, dominated this year's Best Fifa football awards at a star-studded ceremony in London.

The Portuguese ace has scored 44 goals in just 48 games for club and country this year, including two in a 4-1 Champions League final win over Juventus in June.

Ronaldo saw off competition from longstanding Barcelona rival Lionel Messi and Paris Saint-Germain's Neymar, the world's most expensive player.

But the 32-year-old, who has enjoyed huge success at both Manchester United and Real, was not satisfied.

He said: "I want seven. Five is good, but seven is my lucky number. So seven would be great."

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 Best Fifa Men's Player of the Year award last year, following the end of a six-year merger between the Fifa honour and France Football's Ballon d'Or.

He had previously won the Fifa World Player of the Year award, the precursor to the Best Fifa award, in 2008.

He has now won the last two Fifa men's trophies as well as three of the last four Ballon d'Or awards.

"Thanks a lot for voting for me," said Ronaldo after receiving his trophy from Argentina great Diego Maradona and Brazil's Ronaldo at the London Palladium theatre.

"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."

Zidane won his award ahead of Chelsea's Antonio Conte and Juventus' Massimiliano Allegri, after the Frenchman became the first manager to oversee a successful defence of the European Cup in the Champions League era.

"I'd like to thank all the players for making this possible," said Zidane.

"This is a very special prize."


  • BEST PLAYER (MEN'S)
    Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

    BEST PLAYER (WOMEN'S)
    Lieke Martens (Holland)

    BEST COACH (MEN'S)
    Zinedine Zidane (Real)

    BEST COACH (WOMEN'S)
    Sarina Wiegman (Holland)

    BEST GOALKEEPER
    Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus)

    PUSKAS AWARD
    Olivier Giroud (Arsenal)

    FAN AWARD
    Celtic supporters

    FAIR PLAY AWARD
    Francis Kone (FC Slovacko)

    FIFPRO WORLD XI
    Gianluigi Buffon; Dani Alves,
    Leonardo Bonucci, Sergio Ramos,
    Marcelo; Toni Kroos, Andres
    Iniesta, Luka Modric; Cristiano
    Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Neymar

Real's superb campaign was recognised in a FIFPro team that featured Ronaldo and club-mates Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Marcelo and Sergio Ramos.

The XI also included Fifa's Goalkeeper of the Year, Gianluigi Buffon.

AC Milan's Leonardo Bonucci and PSG's Dani Alves were in defence, with Barcelona playmaker Andres Iniesta in a side also featuring Messi and Neymar.

Juventus and Italy shot-stopper Buffon topped a three-strong shortlist for the Goalkeeper award ahead of Real's Keylor Navas and Bayern Munich's Manuel Neuer.

BEST GOAL

The Puskas Award for the Best Goal of 2017 went to Arsenal's Olivier Giroud.

The France striker received the award, named in honour 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 from Venezuela's Deyna Castellanos, 18, and South African goalkeeper Oscarine Masuluke.

Meanwhile, tournament hosts Holland's achievement in winning their first major female football title, this year's Women's European Championship, was recognised with Women's Coach of the Year and Player of the Year awards for Sarina Wiegman and Lieke Martens respectively.

Supporters of Celtic won the Fan Award for the way they marked the 50th anniversary of the Glasgow club's European Cup triumph.

Voting for the bulk of the awards was equally weighted between national team captains and coaches, media and fans. - AFP

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