By Andrew Warshaw
January 13 – As usual there were a few bizarre voting patterns but in the end the favourite won hands down as Christiano Ronaldo was crowned world player of the year for the second straight time and the third time in his career on Monday night.
Real Madrid’s Portuguese star polled more votes than his two main challengers, four-time winner Lionel Messi and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, combined. Reward for the 61 goals he scored last year for club and country.
Joachim Loew won the Coach of the Year award after leading Germany to the World Cup in Brazil, finishing ahead of Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti and Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone.
Colombia’s James Rodriguez won the Puskas award for the best goal, a stupendous 25-yard volley on the turn during the World Cup while Nadine Kessler of VfL Wolfsburg and Germany won the women’s Player of the Year award for the first time ahead of Brazilian legend Marta and American forward Abby Wambach.
Despite his nation exiting the World Cup in the first round, 37.66% of the coaches and captains from 181 national teams, plus one media representative from each of those countries, backed Ronaldo. Messi just edged out Neuer for second, with 15.76% against 15.72%.
“I never thought that I would bring this trophy back home on three occasions and I want to win it again. I want to become one of the greatest players of all time,” Ronaldo told the star-studded audience at FIFA’s annual gala in Zurich. “It’s been an unforgettable year.”
Germany’s American coach Jurgen Klinsmann was one of those who put Neuer first while interestingly 82 of the captains found no place for Messi in their top three.
As usual there were some left-field selections. More often than not these come from tiny countries who have never seen any of the stars in the flesh but oddly, England boss Roy Hodgson chose Argentine midfielder Javier Mascherano, who played for him when he managed Liverpool, followed by the German duo of Philipp Lahm and Neuer. Apart from Hodgson, the only other person to put Mascherano first was Belarus boss Andrei Zygmantovich.
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