WORLD SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Cristiano RONALDO 2017
Dominating the cover…just as he’s dominated on the pitch
Ronaldo leads Real clean sweep
C
ristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid and Portugal is World Soccer’ss World Player of the Year for 2017. He led a clean sweep, with his club side being voted World Team of the Year and their coach Zinedine Zidane a clear choice as World Manager of the Year. Ronaldo scored twice as Real Madrid won a record-extending 12th European Champions’ Cup with a 4-1 victory over Juventus in Cardiff. In doing so they became the first club to retain the trophy since the Champions League group-stage format was introduced, and the first team to successfully defend the European Cup since Milan in 1990. Ronaldo, who also scored the only goal as Real Madrid again won the Club World Cup, retained the award ahead of his great rival Lionel Messi and has now won the award for a record fifth time. His previous successes were in 2008, 2013, 2014 and 2016. Ronaldo will turn 33 in February and it remains to be seen whether he can stay at the top of the world game. His recent assertion that he is the world’s best-ever player was met with emphatic
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PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Kiss…Club World Cup winner
