Sergio Ramos has been named Defender of the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League season after captaining Real Madrid to a second successive European triumph last term.
Ramos is the inaugural recipient of the award, which has been introduced by UEFA in order to recognise the top defender in Europe’s premier club competition each season.
There are also best goalkeeper, midfielder and forward awards being announced during Thursday’s 2017/18 UEFA Champions League group stage draw.
Last season was another memorable campaign for Ramos, who wore the armband as Madrid became the first team in the UEFA Champions League era to retain the trophy. Ramos has now won the competition in three of the last four seasons.
The long-time Spanish international, who received the most votes from fans in the UEFA.com users’ 2016 Team of the Year poll, in April became the 30th player to reach 100 appearances in the UEFA Champions League.
Ramos’s 2016/17 in numbers
Honours: UEFA Champions League, Spanish Liga, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup
Appearances: 11
Minutes: 1001
Clean sheets: 1
Goals conceded: 14
Goals: 1
Assists: 3
Domestic league
Appearances: 28
Clean sheets: 5
Goals: 7
How Ramos was chosen
The jury was composed of the coaches of the 32 clubs in the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League group stage, together with 55 journalists selected by the European Sports Media (ESM) group, representing each of UEFA’s member associations. The coaches were not allowed to vote for players from their own teams.
Jury members selected their top three players per position, with the first receiving five points, the second three and the third one. The player who received the most points in each category was named the winner.
