Andy Murray named Eurosport's UK Star of the Year, Cristiano Ronaldo takes global prize

Tens of thousands of votes were cast in our 2016 awards, with Murray coming out on top in the UK vote in a year which was otherwise heavily dominated by football.

In the greatest year of his career, Murray won a second Wimbledon title, a second Olympic title and finished the year as world number one after beating Novak Djokovic in the final of the ATP World Tour Finals in London. A truly amazing year from arguably the best sportsperson Britain has ever produced. Gareth Bale was his nearest challenger after winning the Champions League with Real Madrid and inspiring Wales to the semi-finals of Euro 2016.

It was perhaps the defining image of his career: an injured Ronaldo, prowling the touchline as a makeshift player-manager, wildly gesticulating at his inferior team-mates during the Euro 2016 final. Portugal saw off France to add international honours to Ronaldo's trophy cabinet, elevating him to heights rival Lionel Messi is yet to reach. He saw off Usain Bolt, triple champion in Rio, to our top award.

Who else? Leicester defied all logic to startle the elite and win the Premier League title by a ridiculous 10 points – a feat made even more remarkable after they narrowly swerved relegation the previous season. The Foxes received over half of the votes in our poll to easily see off Euro 2016 victors Portugal.

Eighteen months after being binned off by Greece after a shameful home defeat to the Faroe Islands, Ranieri was celebrating an unlikely Premier League triumph with Leicester City. The Tinkerman galvanised a squad full of unlikely talent and refused to get swept up in title talk until it was guaranteed. Champions League conqueror and Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane took second spot.

Rashford, the only England player to emerge from the shambles of Euro 2016 with his stock raised, memorably burst onto the scene in 2016. He scored on his debuts for both Manchester United and England, helping him pip Renato Sanches to our newcomer award by one per cent of the vote.

‘This is our year…’ It wasn’t. A young and exciting England team headed to France with optimism flowing throughout the country. A run to the latter stages beckoned. Then came Iceland, a country with a population of 330,000. Roy Hodgson was axed. The hurt goes on.

It’s still a peculiar sight: Wes Morgan hoisting aloft the Premier League trophy after captaining Leicester City to the craziest of successes. Now they’re 16th in the table, hoping to stave off relegation. The Foxes received four times as many votes as their closest contender – the Iceland commentator who absolutely lost it during his nation’s stunning upset of England.

This tale has a happy ending. Ronaldo left the field in tears during the Euro 2016 final, but regrouped to inspire Portugal to victory from the sidelines. Alistair Brownlee’s heroic grab-and-pull of brother Jonny towards the finish line was enough for second.