Our Man Of The Year Will See You Now

Champions League and European Championship medals in the bag make 2016 Cristiano Ronaldo’s most fruitful year to date. Next up, he says, is a plan to conquer Hollywood...

- Ben Welch

Crammed inside an auditorium at the Portuguese Football Federation’s headquarters, a throng of journalists hold up their phones as if they’re hysterical teenyboppers at a Justin Bieber concert. The lights dim and a blanket of silence engulfs the room. Rio Ferdinand and Ricardo Quaresma – two familiar faces among the panel of luminaries sitting up on the stage – look over their shoulders at a giant TV screen.

Inspiring music plays in surround sound as the screen flickers with a montage of Portugal’s talisman. Having left his seat for a prime view from the floor, Cristiano Ronaldo is fixated on the monitor, eyes wide, grinning ear-to-ear like a child mesmerised by their favourite cartoon.

The film stops, the lights come on and applause rings around the room. Ronaldo resumes his position on stage next to former Manchester United team-mate Ferdinand, who asks him to sum up a stellar 2016 at the launch of his latest signature football boot.

“Unbelievable,” says the Portugal captain, still wearing the same uncontrollable grin. “It’s difficult to put it all into words. It has been the most important year of my career so far.”

There’s no arguing with that. Dragging his club and country to glory last season with match-winning displays in the Champions League and European Championship surpassed all of Cristiano Ronaldo’s previous triumphs, and there have been many.

This year’s accomplishments weren’t all achieved with trademark Roy of the Rovers moments. Yet, through bad performances, injuries, tantrums, tears and reinvention as a touchline manager, Ronaldo has emerged triumphant, and is FFT’s Man of the Year.

Like him or loathe him, the more you learn about the Portuguese forward’s relentless pursuit of perfection, the more you realise his unparalleled success has been well and truly earned.