Real Madrid

Cristiano Ronaldo received the Ibero-American Community Trophy at the 2011 National Awards ceremony held at the Royal Palace of El Pardo this afternoon, an award that recognises the Portuguese player as the best Ibero-American athlete in 2011. The Real forward, Golden Boot winner in 2011, demonstrated his gratitude after receiving the award: “It was an honour for me to receive such a beautiful trophy this afternoon from Her Majesty, the Queen of Spain. Once again, as with all the awards I’ve received, I want to individually thank all those who chose me for this award, but especially my teammates and the squad’s coaches, because without them this wouldn’t have been possible. I want to dedicate this award especially to Real Madrid fans. It was also an honour for me to meet Their Royal Highnesses Felipe and Letizia and the Infanta Elena-three kind people with close ties to sports-after living in Spain for so long”.

The El Pardo Palace once more held the prize-giving ceremony for the most important sportspersons at a national level awarded by the Superior Sports Council (CSD). Presided over by the Queen, their Royal Highnesses Prince and Princess of Asturias and Her Royal Highness Princess Elena, the prizes were awarded to the outstanding sportspersons of 2011. The Real Madrid player, Cristiano Ronaldo, was one of the big stars to receive a prize in the category Ibero-american Community Trophy for the sportsperson who stood out the most last year in international sporting events.

The Portuguese forward, who won his second Golden Boot in 2011 as the top European goalscorer, received the prestigious trophy from the hands of Her Majesty the Queen, to great acclaim. Cristiano Ronaldo was accompanied by a representation from thewhite club, headed by the president, Florentino Perez, and the director of institutional relations, Emilio Butragueño, in addition to the honorary president, Alfredo Di Stéfano, the other Madrid man distinguished with the National Prize Francisco Fernández Ocho for a life dedicated to sport.

The event was witnessed by, in addition to Her majesty the Queen, their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Asturias and Her Royal Highness the Princess Elena, the minister for Education, Culture and Sport, José Ignacio Wert, the president of the Superior Sports Council , Miguel Cardenal, president of the Spanish Olympic Committee (COE), Alejandro Blanco, and from the Spanish Paralympic Committee Miguel Carballeda, and the Portuguese Ambassador to Spain, Alvaro José de Mendoça e Moura.

Together with Cristiano, the following people also received prizes: Tara Pacheco and Berta Betanzos (sailing), Juan Carlos Navarro (basketball), José Javier Cano Diaz, Juan González Granado, Marcus Cooper Walt and Javier Cabañín Barturén (K4), Maverick Viñales (Motorcycling), Vicente del Bosque, the Spanish National male Skate Hockey team and the honorary president of Real Madrid, among others.

The National Prizes, which recognize annually the outstanding sportspeople, teams, bodies, universities and town halls of the year, were awarded on 16 October by a jury overseen by the director general of Sports, mebers of the CSD , the COE, federations, regional governments, local corporations and sportspeople of recognized prestige.