Earning the recognition of your peers is a big achievement but, as Cristiano Ronaldo has shown, that approval is all the more special when it comes from two iconic forwards.
As the Real Madrid star takes on Lionel Messi and Neymar in FIFA’s The Best awards, both Andriy Shevchenko and Francesco Totti have opted for Ronaldo as their player of the season.
“They are three unbelievable players and all deserve to win the award,” Shevchenko told FIFA.com.
“I think if I had to choose it would be Cristiano Ronaldo, having won the Champions League and scoring two goals in the final.”
Former AC Milan attacker Shevchenko acknowledged how Neymar is closing the gap on Messi and Ronaldo thanks to his sheer entertainment value.
“Messi is a fantastic player and had a great season. He’s played very well in the league, scoring goals,” noted the Ukrainian.
“I’m happy for Neymar because the last five years have been a big competition between Messi and Ronaldo, and now Neymar has come into play and he’s done incredibly well.
“He’s scoring a lot of goals and has great technical skills. It’s great to watch him play.”
And in Totti’s eyes, it’s once again the weight of the medals around Ronaldo’s neck that has separated him from his peers.
“I must say that we always respected each other on and off the field,” said the Italian to the governing body’s website.
“But I think that, in the end, Ronaldo is ahead of the others.
“He had an amazing season and also accomplished all of his goals with the most prestigious of teams.”
