After becoming the all-time leading international striker, CRISTIANO RONALDO received a special award at Fifa's 'The Best' awards.
When Ronaldo, 36, scored his 110th and 111th goals for Portugal against the Republic of Ireland in September, he went ahead of Iran's Ali Daei. Ronaldo became the outright international strike king after a spectacular goalscoring display that included a signature last-gasp triumph.
And Manchester United's veteran forward was honored at Monday night's 'The Best' gala in Zurich, where he now has 115 international goals.
Rnoaldo, who traveled to Switzerland on a private aircraft with his pregnant partner Georgina Rodriguez and eldest son Cristiano Jr, said: "First and foremost, I want to express my gratitude to my teammates, particularly the national team over the past several years.
"I never imagined I'd break the record with a score of 115 - the previous high was 109, right? So far, we've scored six goals. I'm ecstatic to receive this prestigious honor from FIFA, an organization I greatly like.
"Of course, I owe gratitude to my family, my wife, and my children - and I'll soon be a father again, so I'm really proud. It's a fantastic accomplishment."
"I'm still enthralled with the game. I've been playing football since I was five or six years old, not just to score goals, but also to entertain myself.
"Even in training, I enjoy myself when I'm on the field. Even though I'll be 37 in a few months, my motivation is still strong.
"I'm in a good mood, and I'm motivated. I've been working hard since I was 18 years old and will continue to do so in the future. I adore the game, and I intend to keep playing it.
"When people ask me how many more years I plan to play, I tell them, "I hope to play four or five more years."
"It's all about mentality, because I believe that if you take care of your body, it will take care of you when you need it."
Despite his one-of-a-kind prize, Ronaldo was left off the shortlist for Player of the Year.
And the title went to Robert Lewandowski of Bayern Munich, who controversially missed out on the Ballon d'Or to Lionel Messi in December.
Ronaldo did, however, secure a berth in Fifpro's World XI's strange front FOUR, which Liverpool's Mo Salah inexplicably missed out on.
Meanwhile, Edouard Mendy of Chelsea was awarded Best Goalkeeper, and Thomas Tuchel was named Best Coach.
For his rabona strike against Arsenal, Erik Lamela won the Puskas Award.
-7msport.
