Portuguese football sensation and Real Madrid maestro, Cristiano Ronaldo, on Thursday capped his wonderful year with one of football’s most-priced awards as he won the Ballon d’Or Award for an amazing fifth time.
He has now caught up with his fierce rival, Lionel Messi, who also has won the prestigious award on five occasions.
Ronaldo won his first Ballon d’Or in 2008 and had to wait for five years before winning again in 2013.
The Portuguese star won again in 2014 while Messi took it back in 2015 before it returned to the Real Madrid star in 2016 and the latest one coming in 2017.
Messi and Neymar made it to the final three for the 2017 Ballon d’Or.
Gianluigi Buffon , Luka Modric , Sergio Ramos, Xavi, Kylian Mbappe, N’Golo Kante, Lewandowski and Harry Kane complete the list of top ten players in the world in that order.
Past winners Ballon d’Or
2008: Ronaldo
2009: Messi
2010: Messi
2011: Messi
2012: Messi
2013: Ronaldo
2014: Ronaldo
2015: Messi
2016: Ronaldo
2017: Ronaldo