Cristiano Ronaldo 101

Cristiano Ronaldo will go into the UEFA Champions League final all but certain of winning of the ESM Golden Shoe for his 31 goals in the Premier League this season.

The Portuguese phenomenon is eight points clear of his closest rival in the race to be Europe’s best goalscorer of 2007/08, RCD Mallorca’s Daniel Güiza, who has scored 27 league goals. With the seasons in the leading five European leagues all at an end, it is incredibly unlikely that anyone can catch the Manchester United FC player at the top of the table.

The nearest player to Ronaldo in the rankings who still has domestic league fixtures to play is Celtic FC’s Scott McDonald, who is 16th in the table with 37.5 points. With 1.5 points being awarded for every goal in the Scottish Premier League, as opposed to two south of the border, McDonald would need 17 goals in his side’s final league game to take the title from Ronaldo.

[Uefa]

Cristiano Ronaldo won the treble at United’s end of season awards, just hours after the Reds wrapped up the Barclays Premier League title with a thrilling win at Wigan.

Victory at the JJB Stadium made for an electric atmosphere at the Old Trafford party, where individual players at senior, reserve and academy level were rewarded for their efforts.

Ronaldo retained the Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year gongs - and added the Goal of the Season award to his collection.

The Portuguese winger actually occupied the top two spots in the Goal of the Season award, taking first place with his stunning free kick against Portsmouth and second for his impudent backheel against Aston Villa.

The treble completes a remarkable campaign for Ronaldo, who earlier this month retained the PFA and Football Writers’ Player of the Season awards for his exertions.

[Manutd]

Cristiano Ronaldo have been voted footballer of the year by English Football Writers’ Association, completing a double after receiving the same accolade from Professional Footballers’ Association a week earlier.

It is the second season in succession that the 23-year-old Portugal winger has received both of English football’s most prestigious individual awards.

Cristiano Ronaldo has been named Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year for the second time in succession.

The Manchester United midfielder has enjoyed another outstanding campaign having scored 38 goals in all competitions for the Barclays Premier League champions.

The 23-year-old beat off competition from Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard, Cesc Fabregas, Emmanuel Adebayor and David James to land the prize.

Arsenal midfielder Fabregas was named Young Player of the Year - an award which Ronaldo also won in 2007 - at a star-studded ceremony at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel tonight.

PFA team of the year (Premier League)

David James (Portsmouth), Bacary Sagna (Arsenal), Rio Ferdinand (Man Utd), Nemanja Vidic (Man Utd), Gael Clichy (Arsenal), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), Cristiano Ronaldo (Man Utd), Ashley Young (Aston Villa), Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal), Fernando Torres (Liverpool).

[Soccernet]

Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo admits he is driven to be named the world’s greatest player.

The Portuguese ace missed on the prize last year finishing third behind Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Milan’s Kaka.

“The focus is on winning the Champions League and the Premier League. We have the opportunity to do that and we have the players,” Ronaldo told the News of the World.

“But of course it’s my aim to be the best in the world. I want to be the best in the world and that’s what I work towards every day.

“But only God knows whether I will one day manage to win that prize which is so important for me as a player.”

[Sky]

AC Milan Brazilian playmaker Kaka was named as FIFA’s World Player of the Year on Monday (Dec 17) ahead of Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo.

World Player of the Year is picked from a poll by the coaches and captains of 165 national teams (they can’t vote for their team mates). This is Kaka’s 2nd major personal award in a month after winning the European Player of the Year.

AC Milan playmaker Kaka has been named European Player of the Year for 2007, with Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United in second place.

The Brazilian, 25, was the Champions League’s top scorer last season with 10 goals as he led his team to the title, beating Liverpool in Athens in the final.

He wins the Golden Ball after amassing 444 points in France Football’s survey of 96 journalists from around the world.

Each was asked to vote on a shortlist of 50 players and Ronaldo came a distant second with 277 points.

United winger Ronaldo, 22, was also in sensational form last term, scoring 25 goals in all for the Barclays Premier League club and Portugal.

Barcelona’s 20-year-old Argentina forward Lionel Messi came third in the vote after emerging as a world-class talent for club and country.

The same trio - Kaka, Ronaldo and Messi - have also been shortlisted for FIFA’s world player of the year award which will be announced in Zurich on December 17.