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Monday, December 12, 2016

It’s official: Ronaldo wins 2016 Ballon D’Or for the Fourth time


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“A great honour to receive my fourth golden ball,” Ronaldo said upon receiving the award at the Bernabéu. “The emotion is like the first one. It’s the dream come true again. I never thought in my mind to win the golden ball four times so I’m so pleased and happy.I have the opportunity to thank all my team-mates, the national team, Real Madrid, all the people and players who helped me to win this individual award. So as you can imagine I feel so proud and happy to receive this amazing and beautiful ball.”

Ronaldo is now one short of his Barcelona rival Lionel Messi’s record tally of five, who finished second this time. Atlético Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann came third, with Leicester’s Jamie Vardy finishing eighth and his team-mate Riyad Mahrez seventh.
Real beat Atlético in May to become European champions for a record-extending 11th time, with Ronaldo playing a crucial role. Two months later Portugal triumphed at Euro 2016 in France to lift a major trophy for the first time, although Ronaldo left the field injured after 25 minutes but remained on the sidelines offering encouragement. He has scored 48 goals in 52 games for club and country in 2016. The 31-year-old had previously won the Ballon d’Or in 2014, when it had been merged with the Fifa World Player of the Year accolade.
The award, which this year was handed out by magazine France Football separately from Fifa moves him clear of three-times winners Marco van Basten, Michel Platini and the late Johan Cruyff. Ronaldo’s Real Madrid team-mate Gareth Bale, who helped drive Wales to the semi-finals of Euro 2016, was voted in sixth place during the ceremony in Zurich.
Some 30 players in all were put forward

Before we go, a rundown of the top 19 in this year’s Ballon d’Or list:
1Cristiano Ronaldo
2Lionel Messi
3 – Antoine Griezmann
4 – Luis Suarez
5 Neymar
6 Gareth Bale
7 – Riyad Mahrez
8 – Jamie Vardy
9= – Pepe
9= – Gianluigi Buffon
11 – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
12 – Rui Patricio
13 – Zlatan Ibrahimovic
14= – Arturo Vidal
14= – Paul Pogba
16 – Robert Lewandowski
17= – Dimitri Payet
17= – Toni Kroos
17= – Luka Modric
The players to receive no votes were: Sergio Aguero, Kevin De Bruyne, Paulo Dybala, Diego Godin, Gonzalo Higuain, Andres Iniesta, Koke, Hugo Lloris, Thomas Müller, Manuel Neuer and Sergio Ramos .
I’d like to say it was exciting but, well, it’s been nice having you all here as ever. We made it fun, didn’t we? Thanks for your company and we’ll do this again another time.
 Cristiano Ronaldo capped a brilliant year by being crowned winner of the Ballon d'Or for a fourth time in Paris on Monday night.



The Portugal and Real Madrid forward topped the poll of 173 journalists worldwide to take home France Football magazine's coveted award ahead.

In doing so he beat out the likes of Antoine Griezmann, Luis Suarez and perennial rival Lionel Messi.

The 31-year-old, who was not there to collect the award in person due to Real Madrid's Club World Cup commitments, described his latest triumph as 'a dream come true.'
"I  never imagined winning this trophy four times,' he added. 'I'm really happy and fulfilled. 
When it's the first time, the emotion is always special. But I I feel today like I did in 2008. 
I have the opportunity to thank all of my team-mates, the national team, Real Madrid, all of the people and players who helped me to win this individual award.  
As you can imagine I feel so proud and happy to receive this amazing and beautiful ball, I am so happy."

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