Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo wins 2016 Ballon d'Or, the Golden Ball
Paris, Dec 13 (IBNS): Real Madrid forward, Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, won one of European Club Football's prestigious awards, the Ballon d’Or 2016, or the Golden Ball for 2016, his fourth, beating FC Barcelona's Lionel Messi of Spain, reported the media on Tuesday.
Tweeted Ronaldo, "So happy and glad to win. Thanks Real Madrid and Portugal National team.amazing year."
French forward Antoine Griezmann of Atletico Madrid finished third in the vote.
The original Ballon d'Or, also known as the European Footballer of the Year award, had been awarded by the French publication France Football since 1956.
The FIFA World Player of the Year award was presented by FIFA, the sport's governing body, since 1991.
Between 2010 and 2015, the FIFA Ballon d'Or was a merger between France Football's Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year award and presented to the world's best men's player as an annual association football award.
From 2016, France Football and FIFA have again decided to go their separate ways.
For 2016, France Football reintroduced their Ballon d'Or award and FIFA created the The Best FIFA Football Awards.
Messi of Barcelona leads the total tally, having won the award five times, combining the FIFA Ballon d'Or (years 2010-15) and FIFA World Player of the Year awards (1991 to 2009).
Ronaldo has won the Ballon d'Or in 2008, 2013, 2014 and 2016.
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 Jan 9, reported the BBC..
Image: Cristiano Ronaldo Twitter
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