Advertisement

Ronaldo 'furious' to lose out to Modric in UEFA player of the year award

AFP
AFP - [email protected]
Ronaldo 'furious' to lose out to Modric in UEFA player of the year award
Do they know who I am? Photo: Francisco Leone/AFP.

The Portuguese star, now with Juventus, is said to have thrown a tantrum at not having again won the award he has won three times in the previous four years.

Advertisement

Cristiano Ronaldo was hopping mad at losing out to Croatia star Luka Modric for the UEFA Player of the Year, Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri revealed on Friday August 30th.

Real Madrid and Croatia midfield star Modric beat his former teammate Ronaldo and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah to the prize which was awarded on Thursday in Monaco.

"Yesterday he (Ronaldo) was very angry, and it's only normal," said Allegri. "He scored 15 goals in the Champions League and won the trophy with his teammates. 

"The attitude of Ronaldo shows how much he continues to strive and work to still be the best. This is an advantage for us."

Ronaldo moved from Real Madrid to Juventus this summer. Photo: Marco Bertorello/AFP. 

Allegri added that the choice of Modric was "a personal choice" of those who voted "and, as such, must be respected."

Ronaldo, 33, had the consolation of being awarded the prize for best striker chosen by journalists and Champions League and Europa League coaches from last season.

Modric's success, after he was named the best player at the World Cup, means that the 32-year-old should be among the favourites to win the Ballon d'Or, a prize dominated by Ronaldo and Lionel Messi over the last decade.

Real Madrid's Croatian midfielder Luka Modric (C) receives the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award in Monaco on August 30th. Valery HACHE / AFP.

Ronaldo, a five-time winner of the world player of the year award, signed for Italian champions Juventus this summer from Real Madrid for €100 million ($116.5 million). The Portuguese superstar's agent Jorge Mendes slammed the decision to award Modric with the the UEFA Men's Player of the Year prize as "simply ridiculous".

READ ALSO: Cristiano Ronaldo says 'adiós' to Real Madrid and 'ciao' to Juventus

"He scored 15 goals, carrying Real Madrid to the Champions League win once again," Mendes told Portuguese daily Record. "This is not the winner, he's (Modric) the best player in the world in his position," said Mendes. Ronaldo had won the UEFA award three times in the previous four years.

Ronaldo did however win UEFA Goal of the Season for his overhead kick against his current club Juventus for Real Madrid last season. 

READ MORE: Italy's footballers to pay tribute with 'Genoa in the heart' jerseys

READ MORE: Anger as Lazio fans call to ban women from front rows of football stadium

 

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also