Cristiano Ronaldo wins Fifa Ballon d'Or

Real Madrid attacker Cristiano Ronaldo has won
the 2014 Fifa Ballon d'Or ahead of Bayern Munich
goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and Barcelona forward
Lionel Messi, scooping up the prestigious
individual award for the third time in his career.
Ronaldo enjoyed a hugely successful 2014, in
which he guided Madrid to Champions League
glory by netting a record 17 goals in one
campaign.
Additionally, the prolific attacker played an integral
part in the Santiago Bernabeu side's Copa del Rey
win by netting three goals in six appearances, even
if he missed the final against Barcelona due to
injury.
On an individual level, the 29-year-old won the
Liga top scorer award by scoring 31 goals in 30
appearances, which also saw him crowned joint-
winner of the European Golden Shoe together with
Luis Suarez.
Ronaldo becomes the seventh player in history to
successfully defend his Ballon d'Or title after Johan
Cruyff, Kevin Keegan, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge,
Michel Platini, Marco van Basten and Messi.
The Portugal international was first voted the
world's best in 2008, when he pipped Messi and
Fernando Torres to the coveted trophy. He then
had to settle for second spot in 2009, 2011 and
2012 before winning the award a second time in
2013, this time ahead of Messi and Franck Ribery.
The former Manchester United star has moved
level with Cruyff, Platini and Van Basten on three
wins, with only Messi ahead of him on four Ballon
d'Or trophies.
Neuer missed out on the chance to become the
first goalkeeper to win the award since Lev Yashin
in 1963 after guiding Germany to World Cup glory
and winning the Bundesliga title and DFB-Pokal
with Bayern.
Messi, meanwhile, made it to the podium for the
seventh time in succession after he was crowned
all-time top goalscorer of La Liga and the
Champions League in 2014.