Cristiano Ronaldo Wins 2015-2016 UEFA Best Player In Europe Award

Cristiano Ronaldo was named the Best Player in Europe for 2016 by UEFA on Thursday, beating out Real Madrid teammate Gareth Bale and Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann in the process.

Cristiano Ronaldo Wins 2015-2016 UEFA Best Player In Europe Award

This marks the second time the 31-year-old Portuguese star forward– who also serves as his national team’s captain– has won the award, thus tying him with Argentine Lionel Messi from rival club Barcelona as the only two players to have earned the award twice. Ronaldo previously own the award in 2013.

Ronaldo had a spectacular season with the reigning Champions League holders, winning the coveted European title for the third time in his career, and for the second time with Real after the club’s 2014 victory. He scored 51 goals in 48 matches (La Liga and UEFA Champions League, combined) for Madrid. Ronaldo also led Portugal to its first-ever international title, scoring three goals on route to winning the EURO 2016 Championship.

The forward also proceeded to become Los Blancos’ all-time top goalscorer, breaking the record of Spanish legend Raul Gonzalez, who had scored 323 goals for them. Ronaldo currently has 364 goals for Real.

He also scored the final penalty as Real defeated city rivals Atletico Madrid in the shootout to secure the Champions League title. The former Manchester United star then helped Portugal defeat France on the latter’s own soil in the final of Euro 2016 to win the title. Although Ronaldo was forced out of the game early with the knee injury, he continued supporting his international teammates from the bench.

“Of course, I feel happy because it was an unbelievable season,” said Ronaldo. “But it wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t mention these two amazing players. Griezmann, I am sorry for your loss to Portugal in the final, but you are an amazing player. It was an unbelievable season.”

Welsh star Bale also had a standout season, taking charge of the Real team when Ronaldo was out injured, and delivering at the highest stage with Wales, taking them to the semi-finals of Euro 2016, where they were defeated by Ronaldo’s Portugal. The Welshman contributed 20 goals and 13 assists during the season in 2015/16 for Real.

Frenchman Griezmann, 25, was the star man for Atletico Madrid, who ran very close to winning the La Liga title, along with almost winning the Champions League title. He scored 32 goals in total for Atletico, and spearheaded their campaigns in both La Liga and Europe. He also excelled at Euro 2016, scoring 6 goals and providing 2 assists.

Ronaldo also added that his biggest dream was to be a soccer player and to find success in the sport. His exact words were, “It was my dream to be a footbal payer, to have success in football, and I think I have done that.”

The Portuguese star received 40 of the 55 votes from UEFA’s committee. Bale got 7 and Griezmann had 8.

The UEFA Women’s Best Player in Europe award for 2016 went to Norwegian Ada Hederberg, who plays for Olympique Lyonnais in France as a striker. She beat out fellow nominees Amandine Henry, who plays for Portland Timber and finished runner-up last year, and Dzsenifer Marsozan, Hederberg’s teammate at Lyon, to win the award.

Hederberg is the first non-German winner of the award. She won the UEFA Women’s Champions League, the French League and the French Cup last season, scoring a total of 46 goals.

LYON, FRANCE – JULY 06: Portugal player Cristiano Ronaldo in action during the UEFA EURO 2016 semi final between Wales and Portugal at Stade des Lumieres on July 6, 2016 in Lyon, France. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)