Cristiano Ronaldo became the first player in history to pick up the UEFA Mens best player for the third consecutive time on Thursday evening in Monaco during the Champions League draw.
The Portuguese superstar was voted the winner ahead of rivals Lionel Messi and Juventus stopper Gianluigi Buffon.
The 32-year-old scored 42 goals in 2016/17 including 12 goals and 5 assists in 13 appearances during the Champions League where Real Madrid became the first team to win it in two consecutive seasons becoming the first side to achieve that feat.
Ronaldo saved his best performances for the latter stages where he became the first player in history to score a hat-trick in two consecutive knockout games against Bayern Munich and Real’s city rivals Atletico Madrid in a frantic semi-final clash.
Dutch international Lieke Martens named the best female player the new Barcelona signing impressing for FC Rosengard last season before making her move to Spain also picking up the best player at the UEFA Womens European Championship tournament in the summer as her side the Netherlands lifted the trophy.
Other winners included Buffon who picked up the best Goalkeeper award and then there was a hat-trick of trophies for players of the Los Blancos as Sergio Ramos won best defender, Luka Modric best midfielder before the best forward also went to Ronaldo as he picked up yet another double breaking yet another record in the process.
Ronaldo thanked his Real Madrid teammates saying, “every year we have the same challenge to win everything in my club, international team and I’m so glad to be here and to win this trophy It is a real honour for me”.
“I have to say thank you to my teammates congratulations to them to im very happy for them and for everybody in the national team”