Chidi Samuel with agency reports
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo, the Real Madrid forward and Captain of the Portuguese National team has won the prestigious Ballon d’Or award for a fourth time, beating Lionel Messi to second spot.The 31 one year old striker helped Real Madrid win last season’s Champions League and lead Portugal to win Euro 2016 championship held in France, where he scored three goals.
Ronaldo is now one behind Barcelona forward Lionel Messi, who received the honour in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015.
The Ballon d’Or is reserved to the best Europe-based player as voted by 173 journalists from around the world.
It has been awarded by France Football every year since 1956, but for the past six years it became the Fifa Ballon d’Or in association with world football’s governing body.
However, Fifa ended its association with the award in September.
Fifa will hand out its own prize for the world’s best men’s player, along with the best women’s player and team of the year, at the Best Fifa Football Awards ceremony in Zurich on 9 January.
