2017 awards: Champs and comebacks from an eventful year in football

As 2017 draws to a close, we reflect on the best from a fascinating year in world football highlighted by brilliant team displays, individual performances, and inspiring tales.

The Cristiano Ronaldo Award for The Year's Best Footballer: Cristiano Ronaldo

What do you give the man who has everything? Well, besides a comical bust, a joint-record fifth Ballon d'Or will do, and that's exactly what Cristiano Ronaldo nabbed the first week of December.

Related: Ronaldo moves level with Messi by capturing 5th Ballon d'Or

Winning La Liga and both the Champions League and Club World Cup for the second time on the bounce will do that, and while the stately attacker has hit a goal-scoring wall head-on this season for Real Madrid, captaining Portugal whilst leading Los Blancos to a stunning trophy haul was enough to edge out Lionel Messi for football's top international accolade.

The Gary Medel Award for Inexplicably Overcoming Small Stature to Find Footballing Success: Iceland

A hair taller than a garden gnome, undersized Gary Medel's efforts at centre-half for Inter and later with Besiktas used to defy convention, and at the same time remind onlookers that in football, heart trumps size.

Related: Iceland becomes smallest nation in World Cup history

Medel now has his international crony in Iceland, who piggybacked a maiden Euro participation and shock last-16 dismissal of England with its first World Cup qualification. In doing so, the postage stamp Nordic state became the smallest nation by population to book a spot in the quadrennial event. Sadly for Medel and his Chilean brethren, the only way they'll enjoy the sights and sounds of Russia is with an all-inclusive voyage by boat up the Volga river. Try the salted herring, it's lovely.

The Benjamin Mendy Award for Excellence in Social Media/Viral Marketing: Besiktas

Social media and viral marketing has become all the rage in football, and like a lunging tackle or speculative car-park strike by Granit Xhaka, there are far more misses than hits.

Related - Ranked: 5 best unveilings of the summer transfer window

Not with Besiktas, though, as the Istanbul giant produced the meme of the summer with a series of videos unveiling its litany of transfer additions. Whimsical enough to be funny and featuring hard-nosed players like Pepe and Ricardo Quaresma exhibiting a softer side, the Champions League Group G winner hit the mark with a tune certain to bang from the streets of Ankara to the cobbles of Accrington.

The Ferenc Puskas Award for the Ferenc Puskas Award Recipient: Olivier Giroud

If there was a distinction for a player that pairs beauty and a bounty of goals while keeping his coif at unyielding Mikel Arteta-levels, Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud would be a lifetime recipient.

Related: Arsenal's Giroud captures Puskas Award

The Ferenc Puskas Award will have to do for the time being. The Frenchman took home the annual accolade at the 2017 FIFA Awards in London this October for his deft scorpion flick against Crystal Palace, and as stunning as the final product is, the backheel touch in build-up and subsequent lung-busting run make it that much better. Get in, Oli, you handsome lad.

The Kevin De Bruyne Award for Overcoming Jose Mourinho's Awful Appraisal: Mohamed Salah

Mohamed Salah looks a decent player. Shame Jose Mourinho didn't see it that way, and after just 13 league appearances in a Chelsea strip, the Egyptian pace merchant returned to the English top flight this season with Liverpool and has chipped in with a modest 20 goals in all comps just past the midway point.

Related - Poll: Salah or De Bruyne - who has been England's best?

With Salah and fellow Mourinho cast-off Kevin De Bruyne the league's two best players thus far, one has to wonder what the Portuguese tactician was thinking. Somewhere, Luke Shaw is counting down the days until he makes the Ballon d'Or shortlist once he escapes Mourinho's doghouse.

The Victor Moses Award for "Apologies for Forgetting You Existed, But You're Actually Quite Talented": Paulinho

It hasn't always come easy for Paulinho. From toiling with one of Sao Paulo's also-rans, amateurs Pao de Acucar, to erratic teenage spells in Lithuania and Poland that must have felt like football in a parallel multiverse, Paulinho was shipped back to Brazil for life in the lower tiers before a breakthrough at Corinthians that prompted his move to Spurs.

Related - Brave new world: Barcelona's title run defined by untraditional style of play

Like his time in eastern Europe, Paulinho underwhelmed at Tottenham, and subsequently moved to China for a brush with obscurity that suited the player's form in north London. When Barcelona signed Paulinho for €40 million in August, the move was met with equal parts hilarity and derision. A few months on, and Paulinho is the only one laughing. Thriving under Ernesto Valverde, the midfielder has revived his once-sinking career courtesy of versatility, a half-dozen goals in the league, and a captivating performance in the 3-0 El Clasico victory. Good on ya, little Paul.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)