LONDON (AP) — Luis Suarez and Barcelona topped the season-ending Associated Press Global Football 10 poll on Tuesday, receiving the highest amount of points over the season.
Suarez took player of the season honors after scoring 60 goals in 55 appearances for Barcelona, which as a team won the Spanish league and the Copa del Rey.
"Barcelona's (Lionel) Messi, Suarez and Neymar trio accounted for 90 of the club's 112 goals in the league, Suarez netting 40 of them and quietly leading the team with 16 assists alongside Messi," Shintaro Kano of Kyodo news agency in Japan said. "With 60 goals in all competitions, Suarez had the best season of his career - and fully deserved all the votes."
Cristiano Ronaldo was second to Suarez after scoring 51 goals for Real Madrid. The Portugal international capped off his campaign by scoring the decisive spot kick in the Champions League final penalty shootout against Atletico Madrid on Saturday.
Lionel Messi, winner in 2015, was third, ahead of Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who finished his final season at the club with 44 goals and three domestic trophies.
Robert Lewandowski was fifth after spearheading the success of Bundesliga champion Bayern Munich.
Gonzalo Higuain, Neymar, Riyad Mahrez, Jamie Vardy and Thomas Mueller round out the top 10 players of the season.
Real Madrid, which won the Champions League on Saturday and finished second in the Spanish league, was second in the team poll.
"I think since January, the season belongs to Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane, who took over at a critical juncture and led the conquest of the biggest trophy in Europe, if not the world, the Champions League," Manos Staramopoulos of Dimocratia in Greece said.
Bayern was third after its final season under coach Pep Guardiola ended with Bundesliga and German Cup silverware. PSG was fourth, followed by Serie A champion Juventus in fifth and Premier League winner Leicester in sixth.
"How refreshing to see a team like Leicester firmly entrenched in the top 10," Marco Monteverde of News Corp. Australia said. "It was a great effort to win the English Premier League title and undoubtedly football's feel-good story of the season."
Atletico, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City and Arsenal complete the top 10 teams of the season.
___
Teams
1. Barcelona, 1,957 points.
2. Real Madrid, 1,532.
3. Bayern Munich, 1,448.
4. Paris Saint-Germain, 1, 262.
5. Juventus, 1,131.
6. Leicester, 1,069.
7. Atletico Madrid, 956.
8. Borussia Dortmund, 937.
9. Manchester City, 923.
10. Arsenal, 910.
___
Players
1. Luis Suarez, 1,326 points.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo, 1,045.
3. Lionel Messi, 972.
4. Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 782.
5. Robert Lewandowski, 699.
6. Gonzalo Higuain, 623.
7. Neymar, 593.
8. Riyad Mahrez, 483.
9. Jamie Vardy, 461.
10. Thomas Mueller, 444.
