Cristiano Ronaldo And Lieke Martens Bag UEFA Player Of The Year Award
REUTERS/Eric Gaillard
It was another big night for Real Madrid legend Cristiano Ronaldo who scooped the UEFA Player of the Season for 2016-2017 in the ceremony of the Champions League group stage draw in Monaco.
Ronaldo helped Real become the first team to defend the Champions League title as they bagged their 12th European honour. Ronaldo was peripheral in the final in Cardiff where he scored a brace to see his side humiliate Juventus. The Portuguese international also contributed immensely to seal La Liga for Zinedine Zidane’s side in a successful season for the Spanish club.
This was Ronaldo’s third UEFA Player of the Season award and he is also expected to seal the prestigious FIFA Ballon d’Or in the annual award show as he capped off a superb season for club and country. That could see him equal Lionel Messi with 5 honours.
Ronaldo stated that he will continue to work hard and that he is blessed to be at Real Madrid.
“This trophy will give me the motivation to keep working hard, never to give up. I am blessed and delighted to be with Real Madrid.”
REUTERS/Eric Gaillard
Meanwhile, women’s Dutch football star Lieke Martens bagged the prestigious UEFA Women’s Player of the Year. The 24-year-old starlet who joined Barcelona recently helped the Netherlands to win UEFA Women’s EURO 2017 on home soil and aided her club FC Rosengard to the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-finals.
In the other awards section it was no surprise that Real Madrid dominated the proceedings. Besides Ronaldo’s triumph, club captain Sergio Ramos bagged the best defender award as Croatian midfielder Luka Modric was adjudged as the best midfielder. The duo were instrumental for Los Blancos and capped off a stellar 2016-17 campaign.
Juventus’ 39-year-old legend Gianluigi Buffon missed out on yet another Champions League title but was graced with the best goalkeeper award with nine clean sheets for the club throughout the UCL campaign. This was the second straight award for Buffon, who won the double with Juve.
Written by Rajdeep Saha 
Sports journalist with stints across print, digital and television. Contribution to each medium has been thrilling. Experienced in writing for this passionate game called football. Journalist by choice and passion.