Cristiano Ronaldo Juventus 2019-20Getty

Ronaldo wins Serie A Player of the Year in first season in Italy

Juventus striker Cristiano Ronaldo has been awarded the Serie A Player of the Season award, in his first season in Italy.

Ronaldo led the Turin giants to their eighth straight Scudetto with his 21 goals in the league leading the team.

The timing of the award is unusual as Serie A individual awards have always been given out all at the same time, after the conclusion of the season, but Ronaldo will be recognised before their game against Atalanta on Sunday.

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The other award-winners include Inter’s Samir Handanovic, who wins Goalkeeper of the Year.

Kalidou Koulibaly scoops the Defender of the Year gong, and the Napoli man is joined by Lazio’s Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Fabio Quagliarella of Sampdoria and Nicolo Zaniola, who plays for Roma.

The final three players are awarded midfielder, striker and young talent of the year respectively.

Ronaldo has now won domestic player of the year in England, Spain and Italy, an unprecedented feat, to go alongside the league championships in each country, also an achievement unique to the Portugal international.

Ronaldo has also been awarded five Ballons d’Or, which sees him tied with Lionel Messi for the most in history.

The 34-year-old joined the Bianconeri in the summer of 2018 in a deal reported to be worth €100m (£88m/$112m) from Real Madrid.

He left the Santiago Bernebeu as the club’s all-time top goalscorer, and after having won three consecutive Champions League titles.

He also won Europe’s premier club competition as a member of Manchester United in 2008.

His capture by Juve was seen as an attempt for the club to return to European glory themselves, as they looked to ally success at the highest level to their domestic domination.

In that goal, Ronaldo and his team fell short. They were eliminated at the quarter-final stage by Ajax.

Despite that setback the Old Lady swept to the Serie A title with ease, and it’s for his performances in that competition that Ronaldo will be honoured.

They will receive the Scudetto before the game on Sunday as well, which will be the last in front of the home support for outgoing head coach Massimiliano Allegri.

Allegri confirmed his departure from the Allianz Stadium earlier this week.

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