James Rodriguez may have the Golden Boot and Lionel Messi his controversial Golden Ball from the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. But for the second time in three years Goal.com has named Cristiano Ronaldo the winner of its GOAL 50 award for the best player in the world.
The prize is determined by the votes of 600 editors at the giant publication. Goal.com is a partner of The Sporting News, which helped announce the award. The Portuguese star has long been considered among the best, though this year his stats were particularly audacious: he scored 17 goals in just 11 games, scoring in eight straight games–a Champions League record. Real Madrid has added some significant pieces to support Ronaldo this off-season, including the aforementioned Golden Boot winner Rodriguez. More accolades for Ronaldo are surely on the way.
