Real Madrid and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the best footballer on the planet in 2017. This happened at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris.
Cristiano Ronaldo emerged the best followed by La Liga rival, Argentine Forward, Lionel Messi. This award marks the fifth for Ronaldo, equaling Messi’s record.
Ronaldo in the calendar year under consideration tallied 49 goals and 13 assists in 56 matches. While his rival, Messi had 52 goals and 14 assists in 61 games.
Ronaldo out-muscled Messi with his trophy haul. Ronaldo’s Real Madrid won four trophies in that calendar year. They won the prestigious 2017 Champions League, the 2016-2017 La Liga, the 2017 Supercopa de España and the 2017 UEFA Super Cup.
Ronaldo has a record 48 hat-tricks in his football career so far. This Real Madrid forward has raked in a massive 600th goal for club and country. This came in a recent 4-1 Champions League final win over Juventus.
In a record over 871 games, Ronaldo has to his credit 200 assists for both and country. Ronaldo is indeed a living legend. He is well known for his trademark freekick, thunderbolt shots, lightning speed and also the famous ecstatic goal celebrations.
Ronaldo had an impressive soccer season. He became the first ever player to score in every Champions League group game this season in 2017. He also emerged as the top scorer in the Champions League.
Ronaldo and Messi remain have the joint record as the footballer to win the most the Ballon d’Or award during a football career. More awards await both or either of them in the coming years.
Off the pitch, Ronaldo who is 32-year-old is also winning at home. He is happily married to 22-year-old model Georgina Rodriguez.
She recently gave birth to their first daughter Alana Martina which marks Ronaldo’s fourth child. His family was there to cheer and celebrate with him on the day of the award in France.
The top players that emerged from this award are in this position:
- 10th: Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur F.C)
- 9th: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
- 8th: N’Golo Kante (Chelsea)
- 7th: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
- 6th: Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)
- 5th: Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
- 4th: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus)
- 3rd: Neymar (PSG)
- 2nd: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
- 1st: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
This top ten list comprises of four players from Spanish La Liga, two players each from the English Premier League and French Ligue 1, and one each from Germany Bundesliga, and Italian Serie A.
We await the who will emerge the winner come 2018. Would there be a record 6th winner? Would it be Messi or Ronaldo? Would a new face emerge? Our fingers are crossed till then.