Ronaldo was crowned as the 2013 Fifa Ballon d’Or winner in Zurich on Monday, breaking down in tears as he received the award.
The Real Madrid forward beat Barcelona’s Lionel Messi
and Franck Ribery of Bayern Munich to
win the 2013 Fifa Ballon d’Or.
The Portugal captain, 28, was named as the world player of the year for the first time since 2008 by national coaches, captains and journalists.
Germany goalkeeper Nadine Angerer won the women’s world player of the year.
Former Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes picked up the coach of the year accolade.
Ronaldo claimed the award with a total of 1,365 points, ahead of Messi (1,205) and Ribery (1,127), with the votes cast by 184 coaches, 184 national captains and 173 members of the global media.
Messi, 26, had won the award for the last four years, however Ronaldo had been viewed as the frontrunner this time after scoring 66 goals in 56
games in 2013 for club and country.
They included a sensational hat-trick for Portugal against Sweden in their World Cup qualifying play-off second leg, which sealed a place in the finals in Brazil.
“First of all, I have to say a great thanks to all of my team-mates with the club and the national team,” Ronaldo said as he cried during his
speech. “Without all of their efforts this would not have been possible. I am very happy, it is very difficult to win this award.
“Everybody that has been involved with me on a personal level, I have to thank. My wife, my friends, my son. It is a tremendously emotional moment. All I can say is thank you to everybody
that has been involved.”
Women’s player of the year Angerer, 35, saved two penalties in Germany’s 1-0 win over Norway in the 2013 European Championship final and
was named player of the match.
German national manager Silvia Neid won the women’s coach award, while Heynckes, who retired at the end of the last season after guiding Bayern Munich to a historic treble , said: “Maybe 10 years ago, I wouldn’t even have dreamt of this. I am humbled and happy to be standing here.”
The Ballon d’Or Prix d’Honneur was awarded to Brazil legend and three-time World Cup winner Pele . “I promised to my family that I would not
cry but I am emotional,” he said.
“I got so many trophies and prizes but I was jealous of all of those guys who got the Ballon d’Or, which I couldn’t get because I didn’t play in Europe. Now I thank God that I can complete my trophies at home.”
The Puskas Award for goal of the year went to Zlatan Ibrahimovic for his 30-yard overhead strike for Sweden, his fourth goal of the game against England in November 2012.
Former president of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge won the Fifa presidential award, while the Afghanistan Football Federation won the fair play accolade for the strides they have made advancing the
game in the war-torn country.
Some football fans are of the belief the award should have gone to Ribery. Do you think Ronaldo deserved to have won?
No comments:
Post a Comment