Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo wins the Ballon d'Or 2016
A fourth Ballon d'Or secured, his third with Real Madrid including 2013 and 2014 to add to his award in 2008 with Manchester United, after votes of 173 journalists were counted.Real Madrid-Deportivo: LaLiga matchday 20
A fourth Ballon d'Or for Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese star was the clear favourite with many going into today's announcement by France Football. The votes had been counted and as media outlets and fans followed the name by name reveal the Real Madrid forward was published, slightly earlier than planned, as the top man for 2016. With this he claimed the award for the fourth time, third in the white of Madrid.
The judging comprised 173 journalists from around the world after the 30-man shortlist had been named in October by France Football; 13 players - almost half - currently plying their trade in LaLiga. This year saw Fifa and France Football end their relationship on the award that had been in place since 2010.
Most would agree that Cristiano, based on the very high bar that he is judged, has not been at his most prolific this calendar year but two trophies would have gone some way to help decide voters' minds. The Champions League win in Milan with Real Madrid and the European Championships with Portugal were huge successes for the player.
Most Ballon d'Or wins
Lionel Messi: 5 (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015)
Cristiano Ronaldo: 4 (2008, 2013, 2014, 2016)
Michel Platini: 3 (1983, 1984, 1985)
Johan Cruyff: 3 (1971, 1973, 1974)
Marco Van Basten: 3 (1988, 1989, 1992)
Franz Beckenbauer: 2 (1972, 1976)
Ronaldo: 2 (1997, 2002)
Alfredo Di Stéfano: 2 (1957, 1959)
Kevin Keegan: 2 (1978, 1979)
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge: 2 (1980, 1981)
Complete list of Ballon d'Or winners
Originally the award was given to the best European player and for this reason a player of the staure of Diego Maradona does not appear. But in 1995 the first Ballon d'Or was one from someone from another continent, namely the Liberian, George Weah.
The awards between 2010 and 2015 were during the collaboration with Fifa.
1956: Stanley Matthews (Blackpool/England)
1957: Alfredo Di Stéfano (Real Madrid/Argentina-Spain)
1958: Raymond Kopa (Real Madrid/France)
1959: Alfredo Di Stéfano (Real Madrid/Argentina-Spain)
1960: Luis Suárez (Barcelona/Spain)
1961: Omar Sivori (Juventus/Argentina-Italy)
1962: Josef Masopust (Dukla Praga/Czech Rep)
1963: Lev Yashin (Dinamo Moscú/USSR)
1964: Denis Law (Manchester United/Scotland)
1965: Eusebio (Benfica/Portugal)
1966: Bobby Charlton (Manchester United/England)
1967: Florian Albert (Ferencvaros/Hungary)
1968: George Best (Manchester United/N. Ireland)
1969: Gianni Rivera (Milan/Italy)
1970: Gerd Müller (Bayern Múnich/West Germany)
1971: Johan Cruyff (Ajax/Holland)
1972: Franz Beckenbauer (Bayern Múnich/West Germany)
1973: Johan Cruyff (Barcelona/Holland)
1974: Johan Cruyff (Barcelona/Holland)
1975: Oleg Blochin (Dinamo Kiev/USSR)
1976: Franz Beckenbauer (Bayern Múnich/West Germany)
1977: Allan Simonsen (Borussia Möenchengladbach/Denmark)
1978: Kevin Keegan (Hamburg/England)
1979: Kevin Keegan (Hamburgo/England)
1980: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (Bayern Múnich/West Germany)
1981: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (Bayern Múnich/West Germany)
1982: Paolo Rossi (Juventus/Italy)
1983: Michel Platini (Juventus/France)
1984: Michel Platini (Juventus/France)
1985: Michel Platini (Juventus/France)
1986: Igor Belanov (Dinamo Kiev/USSR)
1987: Ruud Gullit (Milan/Holland)
1988: Marco van Basten (Milan/Holland)
1989: Marco van Basten (Milan/Holland)
1990: Lothar Matthäus (Inter Milan/West Germany)
1991: Jean-Pierre Papin (Oympique Marseile/France)
1992: Marco van Basten (Milan/Holland)
1993: Roberto Baggio (Juventus/Italy)
1994: Hristo Stoichkov (Barcelona/Bulgary)
1995: George Weah (Milan/Liberia)
1996: Matthias Sammer (Borussia Dortmund/Germany)
1997: Ronaldo (Inter Milan/Brazil)
1998: Zinedine Zidane (Juventus/France)
1999: Rivaldo (Barcelona/Brazil)
2000: Luis Figo (Real Madrid/Portugal)
2001: Michael Owen (Liverpool/England)
2002: Ronaldo (Real Madrid/Brazil)
2003: Pavel Nedved (Juventus/Czech Republic)
2004: Andriy Shevchenko (Milan/Ukraine)
2005: Ronaldinho (Barcelona/Brazil)
2006: Fabio Cannavaro (Real Madrid/Brazil)
2007: Kaká (Milan/Brazil)
2008: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United/Portugal)
2009: Lionel Messi (Barcelona/Argentina)
2010: Lionel Messi (Barcelona/Argentina)
2011: Lionel Messi (Barcelona/Argentina)
2012: Lionel Messi (Barcelona/Argentina)
2013: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid/Portugal)
2014: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid/Portugal)
2015: Lionel Messi (Barcelona/Argentina)
2016: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid/Portugal)
