The Portugal captain claimed Antoine Griezmann was a more worthy winner of UEFA's Best Player in Europe prize, but after a stellar season it was never in doubt.
Not many players can boast of having won the Champions League and European Championship in the same year. Before this summer - when Pepe and Cristiano Ronaldo completed the double having followed up club success at Real Madrid with a Euro 2016 victory for Portugal – the total stood at only eight.
Pepe played well enough for Real, and indeed for Portugal, as they claimed the top prizes in 2015-16.