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.
The club’s other awards were won by Richard Eckersley - the Denzil Haroun Reserve Team Player of the Year - and striker Danny Welbeck, who was named the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year.
Manchester United FC forward Cristiano Ronaldo took a giant stride towards winning the ESM Golden Shoe by scoring two more goals against West Ham United FC on Saturday. The Portuguese international struck twice in the opening 24 minutes at Old Trafford to set up a 4-1 victory that moved Sir Alex Ferguson’s team to within touching distance of the Premier League title.
With his closest challenger Klaas Jan Huntelaar out of contention having already completed the season with AFC Ajax, and neither Emmanuel Adebayor nor Luis Fabiano registering at the weekend, Ronaldo appears certain to add another personal award to his Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year accolade. “It is wonderful to score so many times,” said the 23-year-old, who can equal the Premier League record of 31 held by Alan Shearer by scoring once in the final game at Wigan Athletic FC next Sunday. “I have to thank my team-mates as they give me great passes. If they give me an opportunity, I’m confident I can score.”
RCD Mallorca striker Daniel Güiza has an outside chance of pipping Ronaldo after the 27-year-old climbed to fourth in the rankings with a double against Athletic Club Bilbao, leaving him six goals shy of the leader with three Primera División matches remaining. Liverpool FC’s Fernando Torres joins his fellow Spaniard in the top six after notching his 23rd goal of the campaign to clinch a 1-0 win over Manchester City FC, while Roque Santa Cruz took his tally to 19 with a brace for Blackburn Rovers against Derby County FC.
ESM Golden Shoe standings: 28 April
Capped players eligible for EURO finals in bold
Pos Player Club/National team Gls Val Pts
1 Cristiano Ronaldo Manchester United FC / Portugal 30 2 60
2 Klaas Jan Huntelaar* AFC Ajax / Netherlands 33 1.5 49.5
3 Daniel Güiza RCD Mallorca / Spain 24 2 48
3 Emmanuel Adebayor Arsenal FC / Togo 24 2 48
5 Luis Fabiano Sevilla FC / Brazil 23 2 46
5 Fernando Torres Liverpool FC / Spain 23 2 46
7 Luca Toni FC Bayern München / Italy 21 2 42
8 Rhys Griffiths* Llanelli AFC / Wales 40 1 40
9 Marco Borriello Genoa CFC / Italy 19 2 38
9 Karim Benzema Olympique Lyonnais / France 19 2 38
9 David Trezeguet Juventus / France 19 2 38
9 Roque Santa Cruz Blackburn Rovers FC / Paraguay 19 2 38
13 Alessandro Del Piero Juventus / Italy 18 2 36
13 Lisandro López FC Porto / Argentina 24 1.5 36
13 Scott McDonald Celtic FC / Australia 24 1.5 36
16 Hakan Yakin BSC Young Boys / Switzerland 23 1.5 34.5
17 Raúl González Real Madrid CF / Spain 17 2 34
17 Adrian Mutu ACF Fiorentina / Italy 17 2 34
Only the leading five countries (Spain, Italy, Germany, France and England) on the UEFA Ranking have two as their multiplier. This is to emphasise the difference in (international) performance level between the clubs from those countries and those from the other countries.
A player cannot first play in a summer league (eg Norway) and then in a winter league (eg Spain) and combine the points total for each season.
Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo has been voted Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association.
The 23-year-old Portugal international - who last week was named the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year - topped the poll of journalists ahead of Liverpool striker Fernando Torres and Portsmouth goalkeeper David James.
It is the second season in succession Ronaldo has received the accolade, now in its 61st year. Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry was the last man to collect the FWA award twice in a row, from 2003 and 2004.
Chairman of the FWA, Paul Hetherington, said: “Ronaldo’s award is no surprise after his brilliant form this season and incredible goal-scoring record - 38 at the moment -and he is, of course, essentially a winger.
“Cristiano was an overwhelming winner and, given his age, he has the potential and ability to dominate this award for years in an unprecedented way.”
Ronaldo - who has helped take United to within touching distance of the Barclays Premier League title as well as the Champions League final in Moscow - will receive his award at the FWA’s gala dinner at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on May 15.
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