She beat out fellow nominees Amandine Henry, who plays for Portland Timber and finished runner-up previous year, and Dzsenifer Marsozan, Hederberg’s teammate at Lyon, to the award. After a trying first half of the season with Rafa Benitez, Ronaldo switched on his form in the second half of the season and led Real Madrid to the Champions League with clutch goals against Roma and Wolfsburg.
Advertisement
Cristiano Ronaldo has beaten off Gareth Bale and Antoine Griezmann to be crowned UEFA’s Best Player in Europe for the 2015/16 season. He was undoubtedly Portugal’s best player and one of Real Madrid’s best players in the Champions League.
Portuguese surgeon Jose Carlos Noronha has worked with Ronaldo for 11 years and aided his recovery from a torn collateral ligament in Portugal’s Euro 2016 final.
The 31-year-old previously won the award for the 2013-14 season and he joins Barcelona rival Lionel Messi in winning the honour on a second occasion.
“My team-mates are the key – they are the key every year”.
Antoine Griezmann deserved to be named UEFA’s Best Player in Europe, according to Cristiano Ronaldo.
“In the end we deserved it, we played as a team and our players are to be congratulated”, said Ronaldo in an interview with UEFA.com.
The past season was certainly successful for both Ronaldo and Pepe as they won the Champions League in May, following a penalty shootout victory over Atletico Madrid, before their Euro 2016 victory.
“To be honest I didn’t think Portugal could win the Euro. But it is more important that we won trophies as a team”. “But it’s good, I am happy we are in the same group”. “It’s a privilege for me to compete against Bale and Griezmann for this award”, Ronaldo added.
Also on Thursday night, Norway striker Ada Hegerberg was presented the Best Women’s Player in Europe award.
Advertisement
The 31-year-old has admitted that, although he beat Griezmann in two finals last season, he believed the 25-year-old would have been a worthy victor.
