Cristiano Ronaldo has beaten off Gareth Bale and Antoine Griezmann to be crowned UEFA’s Best Player in Europe for the 2015/16 season.
The announcement was made in Monaco on Thursday, following the draw for the Champions League.
The shortlisted trio received the most votes from journalists from each of UEFA’s 55 member associations, finishing ahead of Barcelona duo Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi, as well as Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon who were among the original list of six.
Messi took the prize for 2014/15, but the trophy now goes to Ronaldo who was part of a Real Madrid side which won the Champions League for a second time in three seasons, while also captaining newly crowned European champions Portugal.
Bale was one of Ronaldo’s team-mates in the Spanish capital and skippered Wales to the semi-final stage of Euro 2016.
As for Griezmann, one of the stars of this summer’s European Championship finals, the Frenchman was part of an Atletico Madrid team which was beaten on penalties in the final of the Champions League, and also collected a runners-up medal in the Euro 2016 finals.
UEFA created the prize after the original European Footballer of the Year honour, the Ballon d’Or, merged with FIFA’s world player award.
Lyon forward Ada Hegerberg collected the women’s award.
Source:Skysports
