Nadine Kessler and Cristiano Ronaldo voted UEFA Best Players in Europe 2013/14

041 - Awards presented at Monaco ceremony during UEFA Champions League draw

VfL Wolfsburg midfielder Nadine Kessler has been named UEFA Best Women’s Player in Europe for the 2013/14 season at a ceremony which took place during the 2014/15 UEFA Champions League group stage draw at Monaco’s Grimaldi Forum.

The German international claimed a total of nine votes, with Germany midfielder Martina Müller in second place receiving the remaining three votes, leaving their VfL Wolfsburg teammate and Swedish international Nilla Fischer in third place.

The jury comprising 12 journalists, each regularly reporting on women’s football and selected by European Sports Media Group (ESM), cast their final votes via electronic system based on the shortlist of the top three players that came out from the second round of voting. The initial shortlist of the top ten players had been provided by the coaches of the teams participating in the 2013/14 UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-finals.

Receiving the award on stage from UEFA President Michel Platini, 26-year-old Nadine Kessler said:

"It’s an award that gives me confirmation that I have done everything right and that I worked really hard. In the end, it is only possible with good team-mates around you in order to develop in this way. That was the case with Wolfsburg and also with the national team. It is something really special. To be honest I didn’t even dream about it. It is a surprise for me. I had some great, competitive team-mates alongside me. But I’m simply over the moon."

Subsequently, Real Madrid CF forward Cristiano Ronaldo was named the winner of the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award for the 2013/14 season.                                                                                            

The Portuguese international claimed a total of 26 votes, with FC Bayern München teammates German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer (19 votes) and Dutch forward Arjen Robben (9 votes) occupying second and third place respectively.

The jury was composed of 54 renowned sports journalists representing each of the UEFA member associations. The journalists voted live, via an electronic voting system, in order to determine the final winner amongst the last three nominees.

Presented with the award on stage from UEFA President Michel Platini, 29-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo said:

"I am really happy! I worked very hard, but I want to thank my team-mates too, because they were really essential for me to be able to win this individual trophy. 2013/14 was an extraordinary season, both on a personal and on a team level; we managed to play a great Champions League and to win the trophy, I was the top scorer in the competition, and set the new top-scorer record. I think the trophy was well-deserved. Of course, we still have to train a lot to keep playing like this. This is the first time I’ve won this trophy, so I am really happy."

For these awards, players were judged on their performances during the 2013/14 season in all competitions, both domestic and international, and at club and national team levels.

Full details of the voting results for both awards, together with lists of previous winners, can be found on UEFA.org