2 p.m.: That’s all from Zurich, as the ceremony closes.
2016 was rough on some, but Ronaldo’s life was charmed last year.
Can he do it again in 2017? Time will tell.
Here’s a recap of the award winners.
1:50 p.m.: Ronaldo completes his awards sweep by winning “Best Men’s Player.”
Congratulations, @Cristiano Ronaldo!
Winner of #TheBest FIFA Men's Player 2016 🏆 pic.twitter.com/6kNMWROFce— FIFA (@FIFAcom) January 9, 2017
What do you think? Leave a comment.
It’s Ronaldo’s fourth such honor from FIFA.
Ronaldo career FIFA player of year awards:
>2008
>2013
>2014
>2016 pic.twitter.com/wKXyvdowRs— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) January 9, 2017
1:50 p.m.: FIFA now will name its Best Men’s Player award winner.
(Our unofficial prediction/vote): Step forward, Ronaldo. You deserve this for the same reasons you warranted the Ballon d’Or you won on Dec. 12.
1:45 p.m.: Lloyd wins, successfully defending her title as the top women’s player on the planet.
https://twitter.com/WoSoComps/status/818531656239878144
Congratulations @CarliLloyd. You are #TheBest. 💪🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/vlaGGVGTbl
— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) January 9, 2017
BACK-TO-BACK!@CarliLloyd is the 2016 FIFA Best Women's Player of the Year! pic.twitter.com/RHnFftNxzH
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) January 9, 2017
The New Jersey native thanks her teammates in her acceptance speech.
1:45 p.m.: It’s time for The Best Women’s Player award.
USA superstar Carli Lloyd is a nominee. She won last year.
1:35 p.m.: Mohd Faiz Subri has won the Puskas Award for this science-law-bending goal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdIqFttOV2U
Congratulations, Mohd Faiz Subri!
Winner of the FIFA #Puskás Award 2016 #TheBest 🏆https://t.co/LO8lWBKxpn pic.twitter.com/4afxRz71wO— FIFA (@FIFAcom) January 9, 2017
OFFICIAL RESULTS: Here's a voting breakdown for the FIFA #Puskás Award 2016 #TheBest 🏆https://t.co/LO8lWBKxpn pic.twitter.com/ijMVJutBxZ
— FIFA (@FIFAcom) January 9, 2017
1:30 p.m.: Brazilian futsal legend Falcao wins the inaugural career award for his indoor exploits.
Congratulations, 🇧🇷 Falcao!
Winner of the Outstanding Career Award 🏆https://t.co/LO8lWBKxpn pic.twitter.com/QXdvSsGV3Y— FIFA (@FIFAcom) January 9, 2017
1:25 p.m.: Ranieri wins in an upset.
Congratulations, Claudio Ranieri!
Winner of #TheBest FIFA Men's Coach 2016 🏆https://t.co/LO8lWBKxpn pic.twitter.com/8czujwPzIz— FIFA (@FIFAcom) January 9, 2017
Claudio Ranieri wins FIFA coach of the year. pic.twitter.com/6qMy1fRMl6
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) January 9, 2017
Such is the scale of Leicester City’s fairytale Premier League triumph last season that he beat out the winning coaches of the UEFA Champions League and Euro 2016 for “Best Men’s Coach”award.
1:25 p.m.: Here come the heavy hitters.
Diego Maradona will present the men’s coach of the year award. We reckon either Real Madrid’s Zinedine Zidane or Portugal’s Paulo Santos will win. Leicester City’s Claudio Ranieri also is a finalist.
1:20 p.m.: Atletico Nacional of Medillin, Colombia, wins the FIFA Fair Play award for its incredible support of Chapecoense in the wake of the tragic plane crash in December.
Congratulations, @nacionaloficial!
Winners of the FIFA Fair Play Award #TheBest 🏆https://t.co/LO8lWBKxpn pic.twitter.com/D5RcBABExO— FIFA (@FIFAcom) January 9, 2017
1:15 p.m.: Ronaldo and Griezmann are on stage talking about their nomination for the best men’s player award.
Lionel Messi is back in Spain preparing for Barcelona’s game against Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday in the Copa del Rey (Spanish cup).
1:05 p.m.: Germany’s Silvia Neid claims the best women’s coach award.
Congratulations, 🇩🇪 Silvia Neid!
Winner of the #TheBest FIFA Women's Coach 2016 🏆https://t.co/LO8lWBKxpn pic.twitter.com/OeDRmOnin1— FIFA (@FIFAcom) January 9, 2017
Germany won the gold medal at the Rio Olympics.
1 p.m.: FIFA now will name its men’s and women’s coach of the year.
Jill Ellis is a finalist but she might not win due to Team USA’s debacle at the Rio Olympics.
Ready for #TheBest Awards, #USWNT coach & Women's Coach of the Year finalist, Jill Ellis & her daughter 🙌
👀 LIVE: https://t.co/3bomSZSaI0. pic.twitter.com/3zuIvWFBlA
— U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (@USWNT) January 9, 2017
12:55 p.m.: And the Reds have won it.
Congratulations, @LFC & @BVB!
Winners of the FIFA Fan Award #TheBest 🏆https://t.co/LO8lWBKxpn pic.twitter.com/dqVJkMAfJp— FIFA (@FIFAcom) January 9, 2017
The Reds! 👏 pic.twitter.com/s4fba91HSv
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 9, 2017
OFFICIAL RESULTS: Here's the breakdown of the voting for #TheBest FIFA Fan Award 2016https://t.co/LO8lWBKxpn pic.twitter.com/IN5qW8mPxO
— FIFA (@FIFAcom) January 9, 2017
12:50 p.m.: Now it’s time for the Fan Award, as voted by the public.
#TheBest FIFA Fan Award
An award for the fans, voted by the fans.
VOTE: https://t.co/kQepG8pSEb pic.twitter.com/QUFVIIBliV— FIFA (@FIFAcom) December 29, 2016
We’re rooting for Liverpool fans, whose rendition of “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” on April 14 at Anfield makes our spines tingle to this day.
🙌🏼 Liverpool and Dortmund fans have been nominated for the FIFA Fan Award for this. pic.twitter.com/Ab1nqHJdgF
— This Is Anfield (@thisisanfield) January 6, 2017
12:40 p.m.: It’s time for the first award, as FIFA names its World XI, or all-world team. Over 26,000 professional players who belong to FIFpro, a world players’ union, voted on the World XI.
#TheBest Here is your FIFA FIFPro @World11 🙌https://t.co/LO8lWBKxpn pic.twitter.com/OPFDHNNWVe
— FIFA (@FIFAcom) January 9, 2017
FIFA and @FIFPro proudly present the 2016 @World11. Find out all about the team at https://t.co/8CNhEJm1uE. #World11 pic.twitter.com/XPiHn0uCHd
— World 11 (@World11) January 9, 2017
Goalkeeper: Maunel Neuer
Defenders: Dani Alves, Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo
Midfielders: Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Andres Iniesta
Forwards: Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Cristiano Ronaldo.
They might as well call it the Real Madrid/Barcelona combined dream team (plus Neuer).
Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy was on the shortlist for the World XI but the Premier League’s only representative understandably didn’t make the final cut.
12:35 p.m.: Eva Longoria is one of the guest hosts, as the United States apparently continues to flex its muscles at FIFA in all kinds of ways.
#TheBest⚽️🏆 host @EvaLongoria arrives on the green carpethttps://t.co/LO8lWBKxpn pic.twitter.com/BbpotYg29t
— FIFA (@FIFAcom) January 9, 2017
12:30 p.m.: Some VIPs of the soccer world are in the house.
Two of the greatest footballers to play the game in attendance at FIFA's Best awards this evening. pic.twitter.com/FZ5IkkxL10
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) January 9, 2017
Three-time #UCL winner Roberto Carlos. 👍 pic.twitter.com/FO07kh6GLw
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 9, 2017
Zinedine Zidane and his Real Madrid players have also arrived in Zurich. pic.twitter.com/rOmkUvoRI6
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) January 9, 2017
Looking good, Clarence Seedorf! 👌#UCL pic.twitter.com/dbyNESIL31
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) January 9, 2017
Noon ET: For at least a day, FIFA will make headlines for all the right reasons.
World soccer’s governing body will hold its annual awards ceremony on Monday in Zurich, Switzerland, crowning the best players, coaches, fans and goal for 2016. A combined voting process held in November determined the winners, and FIFA will reveal them to the world at a glitzy gala, known formally as “The Best FIFA Football Awards.”
Here are the awards and nominees, via FIFA.com:
“The Best FIFA Football Awards” ceremony will begin at 12:30 p.m. ET. Join us right here for some sights, sounds and news from Zurich.
Thumbnail photo via YouTube/FIFATV