Posted December. 14, 2016 07:14,
Updated December. 14, 2016 07:42
Ronaldo led Portugal to European Championship glory in July, and also contributed greatly to his country team winning the Euro 2016 held in France in June.
Ballon d'Or was created in 1956 by football media France Football to choose the world's best football player. It was integrated into the Player of the Year award of FIFA since 2010 to become FIFA Ballon d'Or, but separated again this year. In the past six years, Ballon d'Or was decided by votes of FIFA member countries' national team coach and head player as well as reporter group of each country, but only reporters voted this year. Ronaldo received 745, followed by Messi with 316. Spain's Primera Liga players are all listed on top, as Antoine Griezmann ranked third with 198, Luis Suarez fourth with 91, and Neymar fifth with 68.
Ronaldo had won the award in 2008, 2013 and 2014. The original Ballon d’Or presented by France Football magazine was won by European standouts Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini and Marco van Basten three times each, while Messi was awarded Ballon d'Or five times. "For me, it's a great honor to receive my fourth Ballon d'Or. The emotion is like the first one," said Ronaldo, who is at the Club World Cup in Japan.