Both Manuel Neuer and Arjen Robben were edged out by Cristiano Ronaldo when the UEFA Best Player in Europe 2014 was announced after Thursday’s Champions League group stage draw at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. However, FC Bayern can be proud of providing two of the top three players on the continent, with Philipp Lahm and Thomas Müller also named in the top five on the original shortlist for the accolade.
In Thursday's real-time poll of journalists from all the European governing body's member associations, Real star Ronaldo earned a winning 26 of the 53 votes cast, with Neuer the runner-up on 19 votes and Robben in third on nine votes.
Ronaldo, currently also the FIFA World Player of the Year, accepted the trophy from UEFA President Michel Platini at 7 pm in the evening. However, Neuer and Robben will be rightly praised for their achievement in finishing on the podium. “I'm very proud to be standing here among these attacking players," said the reigning world's best goalkeeper, “that's not something you can ever take for granted."
Overall, the European Player of the Year awards have confirmed FCB's place among the very elite of the continental game. “FC Bayern has four players in the top five, and that's never happened before," noted club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
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