CRISTIANO RONALDO WINS 2016 BALLON D’OR

The prolific forward has
been recognised for firing
Real Madrid to
Champions League glory
before then lifting the
European Championship
with Portugal
Cristiano Ronaldo has
beaten off competition
from the likes of Lionel
Messi and Antoine
Griezmann to claim his
fourth Ballon d'Or.
The prolific Portuguese,
who previously lifted the
prestigious prize in 2008,
2013 and 2014, has
enjoyed arguably the
most successful year of
his illustrious career,
winning the Champions
League with Real Madrid
before captaining his
country to European
Championship glory in
France.
Messi, who boasts a
record five Ballons d'Or,
helped Barcelona win a
domestic double last
season but his dream of
leading Argentina to a
major international title
was dashed by a penalty-
shootout loss to Chile in
the final of the Copa
America.
As for Griezmann, the 24-
year-old attacker fired
both Atletico Madrid and
France to the finals of the
Champions League and
Euro 2016, respectively,
but he suffered the agony
of defeat on both
occasions.
Ronaldo, by contrast,
tasted nothing but
success over the summer
by converting the
winning spot-kick in
Real's 11th European Cup
triumph, in May, and
then cheer-leading the
Seleccao to victory over
France in Paris just over
six weeks later.
With the 31-year-old
having already finished
top of the Goal 50 and
now claimed another
Ballon d'Or, he is set to
complete a hat-trick of
individual honours for
2016 when FIFA
announces the winner of
its Best Player award in
January.

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