Real Madrid star, Cristiano Ronaldo, on Monday beat Lionel Messi and Neymar to emerge best male player at the Best FIFA Football Awards for the second year running.
Ronaldo, who won the inaugural prize last year, was presented the award at a ceremony in London.
The Portugal captain had been favourite to claim the accolade after a year that saw him help Madrid to a third Champions League crown in four seasons and a first La Liga title in five years, as well as the FIFA Club World Cup.
Ronaldo scored twice as Madrid beat Juventus 4-1 in the Champions League final, while also finishing top scorer in the competition with 12 goals.
The award, which covers the period of November 20, 2016, to July 2, 2017, is voted for by national team coaches, captains, selected media and fans.
Ronaldo, as well as Barcelona star Messi and Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar, were named on an initial 24-man list of nominees for the award in August before the trio made the final shortlist last month.
“The moment is great. I feel happy. I’m 32, I win the best player in the world so I’m so glad,” Ronaldo said.
“The next year I don’t know what’s going to happen. I just try to focus on the moment — the moment is brilliant. I’m glad.”
The Madrid man will hope to follow up this success by winning the 2017 Ballon d’Or, which would see him draw level with Messi in having won the prize five times.
Also at Monday’s award ceremony, Real Madrid manager, Zinedine Zidane, was named The Best FIFA Men’s Coach.
Zidane won the award over fellow Champions League finalist, Massimiliano Allegri of Juventus, and Antonio Conte of Chelsea, both of whom won domestic league titles this year.
In a new award this year, Gianluigi Buffon was named The Best FIFA Goalkeeper for his play with Juventus and Italy.
Buffon was also named to the FIFPro World 11 for the first time in a decade.
“I am very happy, for me it is a great honour to receive this award at my age,” Buffon said. “I think the last year has been a fantastic season for Juventus and for me personally. It wasn’t enough to win in Europe and for this year I hope that we can play better and with the national team and Juventus.”
Netherlands’ Lieke Martens won The Best FIFA Women’s Player award over last year’s winner Carli Lloyd of the U.S., while Dutch coach Sarina Wiegman received the women’s coach award after winning Euro 2017 this summer.
Arsenal forward, Olivier Giroud, won the Puskas Award for the year’s best goal after his acrobatic scorpion kick against Crystal Palace in the Premier League in January.
Celtic received the FIFA Fan Award for their 360-degree tifo display honouring the 50th anniversary of their European Cup-winning team.
The Fair Play Award went to Slovacko’s Francis Kone, who saved the life of Martin Berkovec during a Czech First League game, after the Bohemians goalkeeper was knocked unconscious in a collision with a teammate.
