Dubai: Real Madrid won seven of the 15 Globe Soccer Awards on offer as the Dubai International Sports Conference concluded at Atlantis, The Palm, late on Monday.
Forward Cristiano Ronaldo won Player of the Year and Fans’ Player of The Year, while coach Carlo Ancelotti won Coach of the Year and Best Media Attraction. Real also won Club of the Year and Florentino Perez won President of the Year, while Los Blancos’ attacking midfielder James Rodriguez won Best Newcomer.
Meanwhile, AC Milan coach and former striker Filippo Inzaghi received a special Player Career Award, AC Milan captain Riccardo Montolivo won Best Professional and Bayern Munich’s Moroccan defender Mehdi Benatia won Arab Player of the Year.
Monaco and Atletico Madrid received special awards for feats achieved despite financial restrictions.
Italy’s Nicola Rizzoli won Referee of the Year, Portugal’s Jorge Mendes won Agent of the Year and founder of media rights firm MP & Silva, Riccardo Silva, won Media Executive of the Year.
Silva skirted suggestions that his two awards were a good omen heading into next month’s Fifa Ballon d’Or Awards in Zurich on January 12.
“I hope that it can be a good signal, but I’m not worried about that,” he said. “The people who vote know what they have to do. I just feel happy it’s one more trophy for my dedication and hard work.”
Real Madrid won a record tenth Uefa Champions League this year, as well as the Copa del Rey, Uefa Super Cup and Fifa Club World Cup. Ronaldo scored 61 goals in 60 appearances for club and country.
“I want to say thank you to the people at Real Madrid — the players [and] the coach — we had a fantastic season, we won four trophies and we are one of the best teams in the world.
“La Decima [Real’s 10th European title] was a special moment as Real Madrid have looked forward to winning it. To win this award is one of the great pleasures, I am very proud.”
Rodriguez spoke of his pride at receiving his first individual award as a Real Madrid player.
“To win more with the club is very important in my career,” he said. “I want to improve, I want to please the supporters and I want to win more with this prestigious club. It is that simple.”
