Cristiano Ronaldo says he would not have won the Ballon d’Or without the help of his Real Madrid teammates.
The 28-year-old forward won the prestigious award at a ceremony in Zurich on Monday night, beating off competition from Barcelona’s Leo Messi and Bayern Munich’s Franck Ribery. Messi had won for the prize on the last four occasions.
But although he didn’t land any major silverware with his club, 2013 was an outstanding year for the Portugal captain – with 69 goals in 59 games for club and country. He helped Real Madrid to the semi-final of the Champions League, but perhaps the most memorable performance he put in was for Portugal against Sweden. His remarkable treble in Stockholm dragged his country over the line and into the finals in Brazil next summer.
Speaking after picking up the award, Ronaldo said he would not have had such a year without the help of his teammates, and he wanted to celebrate with them.
“It’s an honour to win this award. It was an indescribable moment. I can’t explain it in words. I’ve had unforgettable experiences and a lot of emotions,” he said.
Struggling to hold back the tears of joy, he added: “These tears are genuine. Those who know me know the struggle I’ve had all year to be at a top level and compete with the best. This trophy is also for everyone who supports me. Now I want to keep working and this award will motivate me even more.
“It’s an individual award, but I won because of my teammates. I’m going to celebrate in Madrid with the people who love me and with champagne”.
I love you cr7 nd realmadrid
I love u cr7
I was so excited the day CR 7 was craw the best player of the year 2013. Special thanks to all his teammates and fans all over the world.