Brazil votes Cristiano Ronaldo as player of 2016 ahead of Neymar
In a poll undertaken by Brazilian webite UOL, 118 footballers competing in the Brasileiro were asked to choose their player of 2016, with the vast majority opting for Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of homegrown star, Neymar.
Cristiano Ronaldo has been chosen as the footballer of the year by players in Brazil.
No to homeboy Neymar
Brazilian website UOL asked 118 footballers who play in the Brasileirão who they would choose as best player of 2016, and 56.77% of them said the Real Madrid star, followed by Barcelona’s Lionel Messi (31.35%) and, perhaps surprisingly, Brazilian Neymar (who won just 8.47% of the vote).
Mesut Ozil, Xabi Alonso, Gareth Bale and Antoine Griezmann all tied in fourth place with 0.84%.
Best FIFA Men’s Football Player 2016
With Crisitiano Ronalso having already won the Ballon d’Or, Fifa’s award for the Best Men’s Football Player 2016 will be announced on 9 January 2017 in Zurich.
Interestingly, another question posed by UOL to players in Brazil was ‘Who is your footballing idol?’. Top of the list was Ronaldo Nazario (21.18%), followed by Romario (12.71%) and, again rather surisingly, Pele, who received only 7.62%.