Cristiano Ronaldo awarded FIFA player of the year

Cristiano Ronaldo has won the best FIFA male player of the year.

Ronaldo beat out longtime rival Lionel Messi and fellow finalist Antoine Griezmann and kissed “The Best” trophy after FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s presentation. The victory completed the Real Madrid and Portugal star’s anticipated sweep of 2016’s top honors.  The award voted on by the world soccer media and had been merged with FIFA’s annual honor from 2010 to 2015

The 31-year-old helped Real Madrid win the UEFA Champions League crown and finally captured a major title with Portugal at the European Championships last summer. Ronaldo, who turns 32 on February 5, has been named Player of the Year four times “2016 was the best year of my career,” he said