Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo has been voted the best player in Europe, beating competition from Arjen Robben and Manuel Neuer.
Ronaldo, Robben and Neuer made the three-man shortlist from a long-list of 10, and the winner was decided by a live vote of 54 journalists from the European Sports Media group after the Champions League draw in Monaco.
It was Ronaldo’s fourth year among the finalists for the prize, having scored 17 goals in Madrid’s successful Champions League campaign.
Neuer was the first goalkeeper to make the shortlist and he and Robben played pivotal roles as Bayern reached the semi-final stage, where they lost to Madrid.
Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi and Franck Ribery are the previous winners of the award.
