Sportskeeda Football Awards 2016: Forward of the Year

Modified Dec 28, 2016 09:14 GMT

#2 Luis Suarez (Reader’s Rank: 3, Sportskeeda’s Rank: 2)

Finishing above Cristiano Ronaldo in a best of the year list is something of an achievement in itself. Not many players in the last decade can claim to have done that, nor would many in the coming years.

El Pistolero came the closest that anyone has come to breaking the Messi-Ronaldo duopoly in the world of football and if it were not for his past demeanours he might have usurped the duo in the Ballon d’Or race. In fact, he became the first man since Diego Forlan in the 2008/09 season to win the Pichichi ahead of the magical duo – a momentous achievement in itself.

Suarez’s injury stopped Uruguay from progressing to the business end of Copa America Centenario but that again symbolises the sheer dependency that a national team full of world-class attackers have on the 29-year-old. If he can actually finish above the duo in the La Liga goalscoring charts in the near future remains to be seen but for now, he was the one who did what no one else had.

“He is the best out-and-out forward there is in the game today. He has so much to offer the team and it is a pleasure to play alongside him.” ~ Lionel Messi

2016 Stats (for club and country – Games: 57, Goals: 51, Assists: 31)

Edited by Staff Editor