Cristiano Ronaldo is in no doubt that he deserved to win FIFA's inaugural The Best Men's Player award for 2016.

The 31-year-old beat Lionel Messi to the prize at Monday's gala following what he considers to be the best year of his career, in which he won the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup with Real Madrid, and Euro 2016 with Portugal.

Ronaldo claimed his fourth Ballon d'Or last month before following up that triumph with FIFA's accolade - a revamp of the World Player of the Year award that was presented between 1991 and 2009.

"It was an unforgettable year at a collective and individual level," he told El Partidazo. "I think it's almost impossible to have a better year than this one.

"This is the best moment since I came to Madrid and also with the Portugal national team, which I can't forget. I'm in the best moment of my career and I'm very happy.

"There were a lot of doubts and campaigns against me, inside and outside football, too. They wanted to hit me from all sides.

"The truth is that The Best prize was for the best, which is me. So I'm very happy.

"For the season I've had with both Madrid and the national team, for the trophies and the standards, I deserved to win. It's that simple."