Lionel Messi might not care but Juventus striker Cristiano Ronaldo has achieved yet another height that the Barcelona man would never be able to reach. The former Real Madrid man has been awarded the Serie A Player of the Season award, in his first season in Italy. This means that the Portuguese star has won the award in England, Spain and Italy becoming the first player to achieve this feat.
The Portugal National team captain will get the award before Sunday’s home game with Atalanta, having already won similar awards in England and Spain. Ronaldo led the Turin giants to their eighth straight Scudetto with his 21 goals in the league so far making him the team highest goal scorer.
The timing of the award is unusual as Serie A individual awards have always been given out all at the same time, after the conclusion of the season, but Ronaldo will be recognized before their game against Atalanta on Sunday. The other award-winners include Inter Milan’s Samir Handanovic, who wins Goalkeeper of the Year.
Senegalese star Kalidou Koulibaly would be awarded with the Defender of the Year gong, and the Napoli man is joined by Lazio’s Sergej Milinkovic-Savic who wins the midfielder of the season, Sampdoria’s Fabio Quagliarella as the striker of the season and Roma’s Nicolo Zaniola, who claims the young talent of the year.
Former Manchester United star Ronaldo has now won player of the year in England, Spain and Italy, making him the first and only player to do so. The Real Madrid record goal scorer also has different League winners’ medals as he has won the league championships in each country, also an achievement unique to the Portugal international.
The 34-year-old joined the Bianconeri in the summer of 2018 in a deal reported to be worth €100m (£88m/$112m) from Real Madrid. He left the Santiago Bernebeu as the club’s all-time top goalscorer, and after having won three consecutive Champions League titles. He also won Europe’s premier club competition as a member of Manchester United in 2008.
His capture by Juve was seen as an attempt for the club to return to European glory themselves, as they looked to ally success at the highest level to their domestic domination. In that goal, Ronaldo and his team fell short. They were eliminated at the quarter-final stage by Ajax. The Portuguese star already won the competition at two of his former clubs and would be disappointed not to win it with Juventus this season.
Despite that setback the Old Lady swept to the Serie A title with ease, and it’s for his performances in that competition that Ronaldo will be honoured. They will receive the Scudetto before the game on Sunday as well, which will be the last in front of the home support for outgoing head coach Massimiliano Allegri. Former AC Milan boss Allegri confirmed his departure from the Allianz Stadium earlier this week.
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