Adoring Madrid fans demand Ballon d’Or for Real star
Editorial
5. juni 2017Thousands of delirious Real Madrid fans called for Cristiano Ronaldo to win a fifth Ballon d’Or on Sunday as the Spanish giants paraded the Champions League trophy for a record 12th time.
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Ronaldo scored twice in Real’s 4-1 thrashing of Juventus in Cardiff on Saturday as Madrid became the first side to retain the Champions League.
Sporting a newly cropped haircut, Ronaldo was the star of a spectacular lights and firework show as 81,000 fans crammed into Real’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
«Cristiano Ballon d’Or,» the Portuguese sang along with the fans as he was lifted into the air by his teammates.
Ronaldo is the hot favourite to win the annual award for the best player in the world for a fifth time that would see him equal Barcelona rival Lionel Messi’s record as Real also beat out Barca to win La Liga.
«The truth is it has been a spectacular season,» added Ronaldo.
It is the first time Madrid have won both La Liga and the Champions League in the same season for 59 years.
«Thanks for the love you have shown since the first match,» said Madrid captain Sergio Ramos.
«We knew this season was going to be different.
«The team has worked hard from the first minute…we have done a marvellous double.»
Earlier, overseen by strict security measures, the Madrid squad greeted local government dignitaries before parading the famous trophy in an open top bus around the Cibeles fountain in the city centre where thousands of fans had gathered.
«The players have entered into the legend of Real Madrid and of football, as has our coach,» said club president Florentino Perez, as he reserved special praise for Zinedine Zidane.
«He is the only one to win two consecutive Champions Leagues,» added Perez. «That is why he is already the best coach in the world.»
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