Messi beats Ronaldo to win Europe best player

Lionel Messi beat Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suarez to be crowned the UEFA Best Player in Europe award for the 2014-15 season in Monte Carlo on Thursday.
Barcelona star Messi was presented with the award after a live vote by a panel of football journalists at the conclusion of the Champions League group-stage draw.
The 28-year-old is the first two-time winner after winning the inaugural award in 2010-11. Ronaldo won it last season.
Germany striker Celia Sasic won the Best Women’s Player in Europe award, which is a fitting way to end her career after the 27-year-old announced her retirement last month.
Sasic topped the vote ahead of German team-mate Dzsenifer Marozsan and France’s Amandine Henry.
Messi, Ronaldo and Suárez had gained the most points from a second poll of the aforementioned journalists representing each of UEFA’s member associations, the three having initially been part of a ten-strong list revealed in mid-July that was the result of a first round of voting by the same reporters.

Read also: Messi, Cristiano, Suarez for UEFA Best Player award

Positions four to ten were already fixed after every reporter picked their top three players, with the first getting three points, the second two points and the third one.
Other positions
4 Gianluigi Buffon (Italy – Juventus) 24 points
5 Neymar (Brazil – Barcelona) 23
6 Eden Hazard (Belgium – Chelsea) 21
7 Andrea Pirlo (Italy – Juventus) 12
8 Arturo Vidal (Chile – Juventus, now Bayern München) 11
9 Carlos Tévez (Argentina – Juventus, now Boca Juniors) 8
10 Paul Pogba (France – Juventus) 5

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