Cristiano Ronaldo has been crowned as the 2015/16 Uefa Best Player in Europe.

The Portuguese was named ahead of Real Madrid team-mate Gareth Bale and Antoine Griezmann to be acknowledged as the best player playing on the continent.

Surprisingly, Lionel Messi was not nominated for the award, leaving the two Real Madrid stars and Atletico Madrid’s Griezmann to contest for the ultimate prize.

The original 11-man shortlist included Messi, Gianluigi Buffon, Toni Kroos, Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer, Pepe and Luis Suarez as well as the top three nominees.

But it was Ronaldo who emerged triumphant in a year where he guided Real Madrid to Champions League glory as well as winning Euro 2016 with Portugal.

It was an equally impressive year for Bale who took unfancied Wales to the semi-finals of the Euros on top of lifting the Champions League.

However, it was a year of so close but so far for France international Griezmann who was a runner-up in Euro 2016 and also missed a penalty as Atletico Madrid lost to bitter rivals Real in the Champions League final.

It’s been an agonising year for the Frenchman (Picture: Getty)

Nowray’s Ada Hegerberg was crowned as the best female player in Europe.

She beat Germany star Dzsenifer Marozsan and France’s Amandine Henry to the award.

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