Cristiano Ronaldo overshadowed duo Lionel Messi of Barcelona and Antoine Griezmann of Atletico Madrid to win FIFA’s player of the year award for the fourth time on Monday.
Cristiano Ronaldo said winning FIFA’s Best Men’s Player for 2016 “shows that people aren’t blind” after beating Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann to claim the prize in Zurich on Monday.
Lionel Messi was pulled out of the ceremony only a few hours earlier by his club Barcelona.
Italian Claudio Ranieri won the coach of the year award for leading rank outsiders Leicester City to the English Premier League title.
Barcelona said that Wednesday’s game against Athletic Bilbao would take priority over the ceremony and that none of their invited players would travel, which disappointed Ronaldo.
“I would like Messi to have been here today but they have an important game on Wednesday and we can understand that,” he said after accepting the award from FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
“I don’t have much more to say, I think the awards speak for themselves,” he added.
“I’m very happy and I can say that 2016 was the best year of my career, the trophy shows that people aren’t blind and watch the games.”
The winner was decided by votes from national captains and managers, who each picked, in order, their top three players of 2016.
A first placed pick is worth five points, second place is worth three points and third place is worth one point.
onaldo earned 34.54 percent of total votes while Messi finished second with 26.42 percent and Griezmann was third at 7.53 percent.
“I’d like to thank my team, national team, Real Madrid, my trainer, my family that came here, my son, my brothers,” Ronaldo said in accepting the award. “2016 was the best year of my career, the trophy shows that people aren’t blind and watch the games.
“With everything I won with my national team and club, with great individual performance, I can’t forget this incredible year. Thanks for voting for me.
“I don’t have much more to say, I think the awards speak for themselves. I’m not going to do the scream, just the motion.”