KABUL (SW): Cristiano Ronaldo has won the Ballon d’Or award for the fourth time, capping a season in which his Portugal side won Euro 2016 and his club, Real Madrid, took the Champions League.
After winning Euro 2016, the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, and perhaps the Club World Cup, albeit occasionally from the sidelines, it has no doubt been the Real Madrid man's year, the Daily Mail reported.
Beating top scorer Lionel Messi and the likes of rising superstars Neymar and Antoine Griezmann, the gong marks Ronaldo's fourth in the sport's top individual honour, and his second with the Ballon d'Or under France Football's total control, it added.
For the sixth consecutive season, the winger bagged 50 goals and played a vital role in his sides' accomplishments, notably the hat-trick against Wolfsburg in Europe and the tournament-saving salvo against Hungary for Portugal in France.
“A great honour to receive my fourth golden ball,” Ronaldo said upon receiving the award at the Bernabeu. “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”, he said.
Ronaldo is now one short of his Barcelona rival Lionel Messi’s record tally of five. Messi finished second this time.
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