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Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid & Portugal) and Lieke Martens (FC Barcelona & Netherlands) have been named UEFA Men’s Player of the Year and UEFA Women’s Player of the Year for the 2016/17 season respectively after the UEFA Champions League group stage draw ceremony in Monaco on Thursday, August 24 evening.
The 32-year-old Portuguese international retained the trophy ahead of Lionel Messi and Gianluigi Buffon, in a poll of the 80 coaches in the group stage of the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League, together with 55 journalists selected by the European Sports Media (ESM) group, representing each of UEFA’s member associations.
“I’m so glad to be here, and honoured to win this trophy again,” Ronaldo said after receiving the award. “Thank you to my team-mates and congratulations to them too. I’m so blessed – thanks also to the supporters of Real Madrid, and everyone who helped me to achieve this trophy.”
Dutch star Lieke Martens (Rosengård/FC Barcelona) claimed the UEFA Women’s Player of the Year Award ahead of Pernille Harder (Linköping/VfL Wolfsburg & Denmark) and Dzsenifer Marozsán (Olympique Lyonnais & Germany). The 24-year-old Barcelona forward and UEFA Women’s EURO 2017 champion won the voting in a poll of the 24 UEFA Women’s EURO 2017 coaches and the eight who led teams in the UEFA Women’s Champions League quarterfinals, together with 20 journalists specialised in women’s football and selected by the ESM group.
“This is so amazing,” said Martens after receiving the award. “It’s a big honour. I’m really proud, but I couldn’t achieve this without my team-mates. I’m speechless!”
