Managing Madrid's staff rank the players.
Lucas Navarrete
Player of the year: Cristiano Ronaldo. I was tempted to pick Sergio Ramos but Cristiano won the Golden Boot -him and Suárez finished even-. Hard to argue against Ronaldo's numbers for the fourth consecutive season. Tremendous asset.
Bench player of the year: Isco. Some could expected more from him when he signed for Real Madrid, but the truth is that everything is going according to plan. He will be truly important next season.
Youngster of the year: Carvajal. Started the season really bad but his contribution during Real's last Champions League matches has been outstanding. He took care of Ribéry when Arbeloa got injured and will be Real's starter next season.
Veteran of the year: Pepe. He did not play well last season and some argued that he should've been sold last summer, but he's been steady and played great almost every single match. A wall.
Goal of the year: Real's third goal at the Allianz Arena with a perfect combination between Benzema, Bale and Ronaldo in a brilliant counterattack that sealed the win for Real Madrid.
Moment of the year: Ramos' goal in the Champions League Final. Enough said.
Game of the year: 0-4 against Bayern. Perfect football.
Best victory: Champions League title! It wasn't the prettiest, but it was the biggest.
Biggest disappointment: The 2-1 loss against Sevilla.
Best attacker of the year: Cristiano Ronaldo, no question.
Midfielder of the year: Luka Modric. He's the world's greatest midfielder now, how can he not be Real's best?!
Defender of the year: Pepe and Ramos were so solid that it's hard to pick one. Pepe was far more steady but Ramos delivered big time.
Transfer of the year: Gareth Bale. Two goals that won the Copa del Rey and the Champions League for Real Madrid.
Season in three words or less: Finally.
Daniel Girela
Player of the year: Ronaldo. Not brilliant in the last few games due to some physical problems, but he is still the greatest player in the world. He'll share the Golden Boot with Suárez and has established a 17-goal record in the Champions League that will be very hard to overcome.
Bench player of the year: Isco. His goals at the beginning of the season were very important, and he has been able to adapt his behavior to help the team in positions he is not used to.
Youngster of the year: Jesé. His irruption was tremendous and, had he not torn his ACL, we might have also won the league.
Veteran of the year: Sergio Ramos. He had a difficult start, but since the Christmas break he improved a lot. His defensive concentration and his goals have been a key element for winning la Décima.
Goal of the year: Bale's goal against Barça in the Copa del Rey final. We have seen plenty of beautiful goals this season, but this one served to win the first trophy in Ancelotti's era. For sure, none of us will ever forget Gareth's endless race along Mestalla's left wing.
Moment of the year: Ramos' goal against Atlético in the UCL final. I lost my voice and dropped tears because of this goal. Anything else I say about it won't be fair to the most magical moment of the season.
Game of the year: The UCL final. After twelve years, we finally did it. We won la Décima in a game full of the ingredients that have characterized Real Madrid's history: faith, willpower, determination and a fatal final blow in the extra-time.
Best victory: The 0-4 victory in Munich. A brilliant performance against the so-called strongest team in the world, our historical black beast, to break the German curse once and for all.
Biggest disappointment: The consecutive defeats against Barça and Sevilla that put us out of the race for la Liga, when the team was performing at its best.
Best attacker of the year: Ronaldo. Same reasons as above.
Best midfielder of the year: Modric. Playing as a central midfielder close to Alonso, Modric has proved to be one of the most complete players all around the world. He can do everything. Unfortunately, we've only got one of them.
Best defender of the year: Ramos. Same reasons as above.
Transfer of the year: Bale. Despite his physical condition has been undermined by a very poor pre-season, he has shown why he was elected the best player in the Premier League. He scored the decisive goals in the two trophies we have won this season, which is more than enough to have an own page in Real Madrid's history book.
Season in three words or less: Sí, sí, sí, la Décima está aquí.
Marco Gutiérrez
Player of the Year: Tough one, but I have to go with Di María. Overall, I think he was our best player. He was simply excellent even in defensive tasks and became one of Ancelotti's key men. As of today, he's also the best Argentine player by far. If you choose Ronaldo, Modric or even Ramos, I won't complain.
Best bench player of the year: Isco. #23 was fantastic and he often changed games, creating the debate of whether he should be a starter or not. He can score, he can recover, he can pass and he can definitely give you sacrifice. He'll do it all and won't complain even if he's in an uncomfortable position. He's going to be fantastic for Real Madrid in the future.
Youngster of the year: Jesé. Right before his ACL injury, he even claimed a starting spot in Ancelotti's lineup. He's incredible, and Real Madrid's most promising player. Even at such a young age, he often carried the team when Ronaldo or Bale couldn't, and often displayed his magic. Losing him was probably the worst moment of the year. Like Isco, he's going to make the madridista family really happy in the future.
Veteran of the year: Sergio Ramos. He stepped up as a leader, a captain and even as a scorer when the team needed him the most. If you ever want to see what giving 100% looks like, just look at Ramos' final games. He had a shaky first half of the season, but he was nearly perfect in the end and it's thanks to him that Real Madrid won La Décima.
Goal of the Year: Bale's legendary gallop to win the Copa del Rey (and break Bartra in the process). What a display. He proved he's quite a specimen. Best goal of the year, without a doubt, and one that also had a tremendous impact in the rest of the season.
Moment of the year: Ramos' goal against Atlético de Madrid. We waited 12 years for that moment, and what a moment it was. It was the final to win La Décima, against a city-rival and in stoppage time. It just doesn't get any better than that.
Game of the year: Other than the Champions League final, I go with that 4-0 win in Munich. It was perfect, and it changed so much for Carlo Ancelotti and Real Madrid. "They can't win in Germany" ."The Black Beast". "Ancelotti can't win big games". Winning was great, but the way they won will have a tremendous impact in the future. Watching Pep Guardiola frustrated and saying a lot of random crap after losing didn't hurt at all.
Best Victory: Easily, the Champions League Final. Best Victory in 12 years.
Biggest disappointment: The only disappointment was La Liga and unfortunately, it was a big one. Those losses against Barcelona were awful because you knew that Real Madrid was the better team and yet they lost against them twice. The final games of the season were embarrassing and pathetic, especially because they got the "help" they needed, and wasted chance over chance to lead the league.
Best attacker: The BBC was terrifying, but it has to be Cristiano Ronaldo, no question. Top scorer in both the Champions League (17!!!) and in La Liga (31), not to mention the Ballon D'Or. Another monstrous season for him. His celebration in the final was stupidly criticized (I personally loved it since I celebrated the same way at home), probably because he proved that he could take the Hulk down easily. Haters gonna hate.
Best midfielder: Luka Modric. His talent and skill led the way for our team, and at times it looked like he was poetry in the form of a football player. Creativity, game-changing ideas, magic. He just made things happen, often on defense too. And to think he was heavily criticized in his first year.
Best defender: Pepe. He was a monster all-year long and the Portuguese defender reached perfection at times. It looked like he had something to prove, and he constantly delivered. Both Casillas and Diego López enjoyed quiet games thanks to Pepe. But that hair...ugh.
Transfer of the Year: Gareth Bale. We heard it all. "Too expensive" (not anymore), "he can't play football" (LOL), and of course, the tale of the lumbar disc hernia (LOLOLOL). Both Florentino Pérez and Bale were KILLED when he joined Real Madrid. Yet, he silenced his critics scoring the winning goals in Copa del Rey and in the Champions League. And the best thing is that with a proper preseason, he's going to get a lot better.
Ireland
Player of the Year: Sergio Ramos. The man for the big games, harshly singled out for disciplinary issues by the press at the beginning of the season, he dazzled in the semifinal and scored the most important goal of the year. At Madrid, what you do in the European Cup marks you out for greatness. He's had an amazing year.
Best bench player of the year: Marcelo. Although he hasn't, of course, been benched for most of it, his contribution coming off the bench in the final was amazing. No one on the pitch deserved that goal more. He also helped to salvage the league game at the Calderon, which was a blessing; we don't want our noisy neighbours winning the derby too often.
Veteran of the year: Iker Casillas. We won our two trophies in our cup runs. Through tie after tie, Casillas was amazing. I expect him back as number one next year in the league.
Moment of the year: Sergio Ramos's goal against Atleti in the final. The moment that goal went in there was no longer any question who was winning that final.
Game of the year: The win against Sevilla at the Bernabeu in the league. Magical stuff.
Best Victory: The final of the Champions League.
Biggest disappointment: Our final run in the league, when we could have won that too. It was unfortunate, and had an air of carelessness about it.
Best attacker: Karim Benzema, who put up with quite a lot of stick from not very observant fans at the beginning of the year. Our most consistently good attacker, and his runs and appreciation of space made everything happen for his teammates. His semifinal goal was crucial too.
Best midfielder: Angel di Maria. His contribution in the final should also not be forgotten. He was the outstanding attacker on the pitch for most of the game.
Best defender: Sergio Ramos. He can do it all - in both penalty boxes.
Transfer of the Year: Dani Carvajal. Arguably, it should have happened a year earlier. Rightback used to be our weakest position. No longer.
Bozz
Player of the year: Luka Modric. It's hard to not pick CR and all his goals, but Luka was the engine which drove this beast to the Decima. He truly did it all, from fighting for balls on defense to transitioning everyone into attack. Small in stature but colossal in heart, he was the most consistently excellent performer this season from start to finish.
Bench player of the year: Isco. Whether it was his goals early on in the season to bail the team out, or his tenacious defense against Bayern, he's shown a willing spirit to do whatever Carlo asked of him without any arguments. I still think he's better suited to play as a traditional #10 but his versatility has shown to be invaluable.
Youngster of the year: Dani Carvajal. Jese is a close second along with Isco but Carva has been a rock at the RB spot this year, showing why he's one of the best young players at the position and that he, along with Varane, can be the leaders of the defense for years to come. Tireless and enthusiastic, I can't wait to see him in white for the next decade.
Veteran of the year: Sergio Ramos. I wanted him to be benched at times in the first half of the season, but man, did he turn it around in the second half. From his goals to his titanic tackles, he's shown the heart of a captain and the will of a champion. Great turnaround.
Goal of the year: Has to be Bale's goal against Barça in the Copa del Rey final. It's tempting to pick any goal from the Bayern games or the CL final, but Bale's is just sheer power and determination to win. I think Marc Bartra is still chasing him somewhere. CR's goal against Galatasaray is my second.
Moment of the year: Ramos' goal against Atlético in the UCL final. As soon as it happened you could see Atleti's spirit get crushed. It HAD to be a Ramos header and it HAD to be in the 92nd minute. The stuff that legends are made of.
Game of the year: It's tempting to pick the final against Atleti, but the 4-0 demolition of Bayern was so comprehensive and so thoroughly dominant that I don't remember the last time that Real Madrid obliterated a top team like that. Perfect in every single phase of the game AND it was on the road in Germany as well.
Best victory: The Champions League final just because the monkey is finally off the back, no more Decima talk hanging over everyone's heads. The fact that it came against a rival and a favorite of the neutrals makes it that much sweeter. The CDR final against Barca is my second choice.
Biggest disappointment: The injuries. Blown out ACLs are freakish in nature and you can't predict them, but the constant niggles near the end of the season were incredibly annoying. Yes, it's a long season and especially when you're involved in three competitions, but something wasn't right here. The medical staff should be nervous.
Best attacker of the year: Cristiano Ronaldo. I'm tempted to put Benz due to his goal-scoring and passing contributions, but it has to be CR. His scoring contribution (non-penalty goals + assists) was tops in the league and he bailed out the team on countless occasions. Still not a fan of how many shots he takes, but he was the best.
Best midfielder of the year: If Luka is my player of the year then this goes to Angel di Maria. I take back every bad word I ever had about him, the guy is the hardest working man on the team and by far the most versatile. Once all the transfer rumors were settled, Dobby went full beast-mode and I have to applaud him for that.
Best defender of the year: I'll go with Pepe for his consistency. When Ramos was struggling in the first half, Pepe shouldered the burden knowing that Varane was hurt and it was all up to him. He (mostly) cut down on the theatrics and often bailed out a struggling back line in the first few months.
Transfer of the year: Bale, though Carvajal is a very close second. Even though he's still adapting to the league, 22 goals and a surprising 16 assists are unreal numbers for someone with no preseason, injuries and playing with a new team in a new land. Barring injury, one has to imagine those numbers going up next season.
Season in three words or less: Worth the stress.
Pedro Falci
Player of the year: Ángel di María. After rumors linked him to Monaco in December, Fideo stayed put and followed Ancelotti's guidance to become one of the most devastating center-midfielders in the world. From scoring against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey to setting up Gareth Bale's winner in the Champions League, di María has proven himself to be an integral piece of Ancelotti's tactical puzzle this year.
Bench player of the year: Isco. His goal-scoring prowess and responsible care of the ball made him a huge asset off the bench. After an impressive start to the season in the attacking third, Isco reinvented himself as a classic center mid and blew everyone away with his defensive tenacity and propensity to tackle cleanly. His touch is simply out-of-this-world, too.
Youngster of the year: Jesé. Until his unfortunate ACL tear, Jesé was playing as if he'd been in the first team for as long as Cristiano Ronaldo. Tremendous ability and tremendous confidence.
Veteran of the year: Karim Benzema. While doubters like myself questioned the feasibility of having Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale on the same team, it was Karim Benzema that rose to the occasion and created an environment that allowed the "BBC" to thrive so brilliantly. His playmaking ability, intelligent movement, and goals served as a unique focal point for both Ronaldo and Bale's wing play.
Goal of the year: Gareth Bale's Usain Bolt impression against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final. His burst of speed that late in the game was absolutely freaky, and to see Sergio Busquets drop to the floor after he scored was hilarious.
Moment of the year: Sergio Ramos' goal in the 93rd minute of the Champions League final. Twelve years of pent-up frustration, sadness and disappointment disappeared in an uncontrollable deluge of insane emotion thanks to Ramos' impeccably-placed header.
Game of the year: Champions League final. I simply will never forget it, and to comeback so dramatically in stoppage time just adds to Real's Madrid's legend as a team that never quits.
Best victory: Defeating Atletico in the Champions League final to raise la Décima. Same reasons as above.
Biggest disappointment: throwing away the league by losing winnable games against Sevilla and Valencia. The Real Madrid team that lost those games played well-below its normal output at a critical juncture in the domestic campaign. It didn't make much sense, honestly.
Best attacker: Cristiano Ronaldo. No explanation necessary.
Best midfielder: I can't pick between Ángel di María and Luka Modric. Both players' performance in the Champions League final was representative of their world-class seasons as center-midfielders with invaluable and unique styles, skills, and roles in Ancelotti's system.
Defender of the year: arise, Sergio Ramos. The Vice Captain stepped up his defense after a rocky start but also became an absolutely clutch player with his goals against Bayern Munich and Atletico. His performances exceeded expectations and can simply be described as inspirational.
Transfer of the year: Gareth Bale. Why? He scores when he wants. The clutch goals he demonstrated at Tottenham served Real Madrid quite well this year, wouldn't you say?
Season in three words or less: Someone pinch me.
Gabe Lezra
Player of the Year: Cristiano Ronaldo. Listen, it's easy to weigh the last month heavily, and it's easy to find fault with the way Cris seemed to taper off as the season wound down. But to me it all rings hollow. He may not be the owner of the "best moment" or "best goal" awards--but "best player" is about consistent greatness, and no one on the squad has been consistently as amazing as Cristiano. He's a goal creating machine, a relentless never-say-die player--and we're lucky to have him. Oh, and he scored 17 goals in he Champions League. 17 f****** goals!!
Best Bench Player: Jesé. Here's the thing about Jesé: he was by far the best player to come off Madrid's bench this season. My whole point above was not to weight the last month too heavily--and that applies equally for this category. Jesé was so good this season that he effectively squeezed out Di Maria (a player of the year candidate!!) for a good chunk of the year. That, to me, speaks volumes.
Veteran of the Year: Sergio Ramos. You know it's hard on me to think of Sergio as a veteran--like most of you, I've watched every minute he has played at Madrid and he still seems like a little kid! But he is a veteran now, and he has matured incredibly this year alone--from the lingering questions about cards earlier his season, he morphed into THE premier attacking center back in world football. His defense solidified to the extent that it didn't matter who his CB partner was. The man was a machine, and we will always remember his name.
Goal of the Year: Yikes! I mean are we crazy to say it's not Ramos' strike against Atleti? The Bale goal was definitely the prettier one, and it was particularly exciting because of who it came against...but let's be clear, that Ramos goal was the most important strike for Real Madrid since Zidane's volley to win the Novena. In a category where that is competing, nothing else can win.
Moment of the Year: Xabi Alonso's mad dash down then touchline after Ramos' goal. The goal itself was amazing, but that sprint--the joy in his eyes, the ecstatic need to just RUN--well, that was the personification of my feelings at that moment (I also got up and sprinted away from the TV before collapsing into a weeping mess in my hallway). Unbelievable.
Game of the Year: Madrid's domination of Bayern in Germany--for all the reasons Jared said. Because it was against Guardiola. Because it was in Germany. Because of what it meant--the 12 year drought coming to an end, the nail in the coffin of the "Madrid can't win in Germany meme," finally showing that beautiful football can mean more than just possession. In terms of sheer happiness, the Final takes the cake; but in terms of "footballing orgasm" this game can't be beat.
Best Victory: Is there really any question here? Madrid won the Champions League this year. La Decima. You know, that title we've been dreaming about for years.
Biggest Disappointment: We won the double. So all of this should be with the caveat that it's almost silly to find a disappointment in this amazing season. So yes, the final few weeks of la Liga were tough. But for me the biggest disappointment was the way Madrid played in their derby games in la Liga. Let's be clear--we didn't lose the Liga in those last few weeks: we lost la Liga when we couldn't get a point from our matches against Barca and Atleti. Brutal.
Best Attacker: Gareth Bale--but only because I don't want to give Cristiano two awards. Gareth was incredible--and well worth his price tag. From his incredible clutch goals (the winner in BOTH finals!) to his all-around effort, Bale impressed the way few first-year transfers have in the last 12 years. His goal-scoring tally was phenomenal, but what separates him was the way he felt the shirt--it sat heavy on him, and he bled for it time and again. Couldn't ask for more.
Best Midfielder: Luka Modric. It's really close between Modric and Angel Di Maria--but the little Croatian edges out the Argentinian by the tiniest of margins. Look, Modric was the engine that made this team run. He was by far the best center mid in Spain--in a league that includes Xavi, Iniesta, Koke and even Rakitic, Modric was consistently the most dynamic player of the bunch. In a position that had, for so long, seen Madrid struggle to compete, Modric's performance brought the team up to the elite level--a feet that so many world-class center midfielders had attempted, Modric accomplished.
Best Defender: Sergio Ramos. Look I want to take a moment to talk about the most under-appreciated player on the pitch, however: Fabio Coentrao was essentially discarded under Mourinho. We'd all forgotten about him. But as the season wore down, he stepped up in such an amazing way that I was close to naming him best defender. His match against Bayern--the way he PERSONALLY shut down Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery...just amazing. A true master class. But ultimately this is about consistency and Don Sergio Ramos has been the most consistently incredible defender on Real Madrid. What else can we say? We wouldn't be here without him. Thank you Sergio.
Transfer of the Year (decade!): Dani Carvajal! What can we say about Dani? Seriously--he transformed Madrid's glaring weakness on the right flank into a source of strength. He locked down a starting spot for the next ten years. It's not every (day, week, month, year) that you can lock down such an important position for the long term--and that's what this move did. Master class.
Chris Stephens
Player of the year: Cristiano. We've come to expect the personal accolades, of which there were so many this campaign. This year was no different, and it left no doubts as to who's atop the list of best footballers not only on this team, but in the world. And to think there was talk of Cris not re-signing not all too long ago. A consummate professional deserving all the praise he gets, and even the praise he doesn't. I myself am guilty of taking his other-worldly ability for granted at times.
Best bench player: Isco, though a mention has to be made of Jesé. Isco brought the goods. Those goods were intelligent possession, calming influence, and he also brought some bite in central midfield. We knew he was top quality (it's why he was so highly touted as a transfer) but to deliver as such a young player coming from a place where he was THE guy to pressure-packed club as somewhat of a role player was very impressive. And Jesé is still perhaps the most exciting young gun we have. His production was terrific.
Veteran of the year: Hard not to give this one to Sergio Ramos. I, like many, have found it easy to critique Ramos through the years for senseless moments. But you can never doubt the passion and ability. He'll run right through a wall if it means winning and has cemented himself as a legendary defender for the club and, more importantly, of the club.
Goal of the year: Bale's sprint show takes it for me. It's as if he was saying, "hey Barça, am I still overpriced? Yeah, try this on for size." And he said it in the blink of an eye. I could watch it over and over and over. And I have.
Moment of the year: Just about everything that happened from the 93rd minute on in the Champions League final. Ramos climbing and burying the most prayed-for goal in Madrid history, the crowds both in Lisbon and in the Bernabéu go absolutely insane, the pile-ups of players by the corner flags for the four goals. Inseparable moments that will never ever fade.
Game of the year: Thumping Bayern to the tune of 4-0 in Munich. Just, wow. "If you go after the king, you best not miss" as they say in my part of the world. Madrid knocked the Germans right off their perch in style. Breaking the German voodoo stranglehold that crippled us so often before was proof that this squad wouldn't be denied.
Best victory: La décima. The obsession was finally fulfilled. What do we do now???
Biggest disappointment: I could say missing out on the treble. Perhaps we could have done it, but I really have no complaints.
Best attacker: It's certainly Ronaldo, but the remaining 2/3 of the BBC deserve praise as well. Benzema may always be slighted by fans who don't appreciate all the small things he does for a team, but his movement and vision makes it possible for Bale and CR7 to be the world-destroyers they were this season.
Best midfielder: It pains me that Di María will not show up on my list, but Luka Modric has become one of the most heralded midfielders in the world, and everything that makes him so special was on full display for Ancelotti's approach this season. The Croatian wizard is sporting a new haircut that he promised in exchange for la décima, but we'll remember that flowing hair buzzing, distributing, and dictating the passage of play in the middle of the park.
Best defender: Sergio Ramos. The worldwide community thanks you for delivering all of our dreams come true. Besides the memorable moments, Ramos was quite consistent and fearless on an everyday basis.
Transfer of the year: Dani Carvajal gets this one, but mostly because of the glaring need for someone of his ability to come into the squad for so long. He's certainly not the most skilled transfer of 2013-14, but he's no slouch either. The balance he provided made defending Real Madrid so much more difficult for opposing teams. Here's to a long tenure as Madrid's primary right-back option, Dani.
Jared Dublin
Player of the Year: Cristiano Ronaldo. This is a tough award to assign one individual, as many contributed to this trophy-laden season. Ramos was inspirational down the stretch, Modric excelled on both sides of the ball, and Di Maria starred in his central midfield role. While these three pillars were instrumental to Carlo’s new system, Ronaldo earned the Player of the Year Award with his record-setting 17 Champions League goals and co-ownership of the European Golden Shoe. The Portuguese talisman once again set Europe alight with his impressive goalscoring campaign.
Best bench player of the year: Isco. The young Spaniard seemingly single-handedly carried the goalscoring torch for Los Blancos early in the season. Although Isco did not make Carlo’s regular starting XI once the Italian manager settled on this hybrid 4-3-3 system, he filled in well when called upon down the stretch. Providing goals from midfield and creativity in the absence of Ozil, the former Malaga star emerged as an essential bench player down the stretch. Jese is a close second for this award, as the pacey forward truly burst onto the scene this year. We all wish the Madrid #20 a speedy recovery!
Veteran of the year: Sergio Ramos. The Real Madrid vice-captain was an inspirational figure at the heart of defense. Solid at the back, dominant in the air, and clinical down the stretch, Ramos contributed in all phases of play this season. His passing range and ability was key to Madrid’s possession this season. Hitting cross-field diagonals out of the back and crisp passes through the midfield, the vice-captain helped dictate the tempo from his central defensive position. Scored Madrid's most important goal in the past few years. True veteran leader.
Goal of the year: Tough to beat Ronaldo’s back-heel goal against Valencia, but Bale’s legendary run against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey Final claims Goal of the Year. The Welsh winger showed blistering pace, strength, and perseverance to score an incredible solo goal and seal the win for Madrid’s first title of the season.
Moment of the year: Sergio Ramos’ goal against our city-rivals in the Champions League Final. He scored. I cried. Words cannot describe the header or what it meant to Madridistas all over. Ramos’ equalizer was a moment for the ages.
Game of the year: Real Madrid’s 4-0 win in Munich. The road to the Champions League title always had to go through Bayern Munich. Carlo’s men made a statement that night by thoroughly dominating the German champions. After years of heartache at the hands of Pep Guardiola, this win had some added importance.
Best Victory: The Champions League Final. La Decima.
Biggest disappointment: The final weeks of La Liga. This was an opportunity wasted, as we had a serious shot at winning the treble this season.
Best attacker: Cristiano Ronaldo. 17 Champions Leauge goals and 31 La Liga goals speak loudly. The Madrid #7 was ruthless in front of goal once again, leading the two most important competitions in scoring this season. Bale was fantastic with his double-digit assist tally in La Liga and the two match-winning goals in both the Copa del Rey and CL Finals. The Welsh winger had a solid statistical campaign, but the efficient and dominant performances from CR7 earn him the Best Attacker Award.
Best midfielder: Luka Modric. Arguably the toughest award of the season, the Croatian dynamo edges out Di Maria as the best midfielder this season. The Argentine attacker was clearly one of the top performers of the season, as he excelled in his new role as the left central midfielder in Carlo’s 4-3-3. Di Maria’s direct running and pace gave Barcelona headaches in El Clasico and he created the match-winning goal against Atletico in the CL Final. Di Maria was a revelation in his new role, but Modric was the midfield man that made Los Blancos tick. With his impressive defensive work-rate and close control in possession, Modric was the link between defense and attack for Carlo’s Madrid. With Ozil gone and Los Blancos playing without a clear #10, the Croatian midfielder provided the attacking impetus and creative spark to help keep the balance in the 4-3-3 system.
Best defender: Sergio Ramos. Pepe was equally impressive in defense this season, but the Spaniard’s passing ability and goalscoring form down the stretch earn him the Best Defender Award. Pundits and critics always focus on the yellow card and sending offs. But when evaluating Ramos’ total contribution to the team’s overall play, he was clearly the best defender at Real Madrid this year.
Transfer of the Year: Dani Carvajal. Bale’s match-winning goals and impressive statistical output make him the clear favorite for the award. While the Welshman delivered key goals and assists from the right wing this season, Carvajal’s inclusion at right-back gave Madrid one aspect that we have been lacking in our build-up play: balance. Instead of having to always go through Marcelo and Cristiano down the left wing, Carvajal and his composure on the ball allowed the team to use the right-back as an outlet as well. Carvajal still needs to improve defensively, but the balance he gave the team proved instrumental down the stretch. Great to see an upgrade at the right-back position.