Premier League - Ronaldo awarded Ballon d'Or

Eurosport - Tue, 02 Dec 17:14:00 2008

Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo has been awarded the Ballon d'Or after inspiring the club to a Champions League and Premier League double this year.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Manchester United - Ronaldo - 0

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi came second and Liverpool striker Fernando Torres third in a poll of 96 journalists from all over the world organised by France Football.

The 23-year-old Ronaldo follows former United greats Denis Law (1964), Bobby Charlton (1966) and George Best (1968) as a winner of the prize previously known as the European Footballer of the Year award. He scored 42 goals for the club last season.

Ronaldo earned 446 points with Messi on 281 points and Torres on 179.

"It's one of the most beautiful days in my life. I've been dreaming of this trophy since I was a child," said Ronaldo, who will be officially presented with the trophy during a French TV show on Sunday.

Ronaldo is the third Portuguese player to win the award after Eusebio in 1965 and Luis Figo in 2000.

"I was not scared because I was aware of what I had done in the season," Ronaldo added.

"Thank you to my team-mates, who helped me be the best, thank you to those who set me up for these goals.

"I will now work to be good on Saturday. This morning, arriving at the training session, I will be the same lad. What is sure is that I want to win again because it is so good."

He also became this year only the second player to win England's Footballer of the Year award in successive seasons.

However, he failed to make an impact at the European Championship in Austria and Switzerland as Portugal bowed out to eventual runners-up Germany in the quarter-finals.

During a pre-season dominated by speculation about a move to Real Madrid, Ronaldo underwent ankle surgery but he has scored eight goals in 11 league games since returning to action in September.

Ronaldo, who was second to Brazil playmaker Kaka last year, is the first Portuguese to win the award since Figo and the first Premier League player since Michael Owen in 2001.

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was the top-ranked English player in 10th position, ahead of Wayne Rooney (13th) and Frank Lampard (15th).

Torres was one of seven Spanish players to win votes, as the Euro 2004-winners dominated the list.

Full results:

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Manchester Utd), 446 points

2. Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona), 281 pts

3. Fernando Torres (Spain, Liverpool), 179 pts

4. Iker Casillas (Spain, Real Madrid), 133 pts

5. Xavi Hernandez (Spain, Barcelona), 97 pts

6. Andrei Arshavin (Russia, Zenit St Petersburg), 64 pts

7. David Villa (Spain, Valencia), 55 pts

8. Kaka (Brazil, Milan), 31 pts

9. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden, Internazionale), 30 pts

10 Steven Gerrard (England, Liverpool), 28 pts

11. Marcos Senna (Spain, Villarreal),16 pts.

12. Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo, Arsenal), 12 pts.

13. Wayne Rooney (England, Manchester United), 11 pts.

14. Sergio Aguero (Argentina, Atletico Madrid), 10 pts.

15. Frank Lampard (England, Chelsea), 8 pts.

16. Franck Ribery (France, Bayern Munich), 7 pts.

17. Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon, Barcelona), 6 pts.

18. Gianluigi Buffon (Italy, Juventus), 5 pts.

19. Michael Ballack (Germany, Chelsea), Cesc Fabregas (Spain, Arsenal), 4 pts.

21. Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast, Chelsea), Sergio Ramos (Spain, Real Madrid), Nemanja Vidic (Serbia, Manchester United), 3 pts.

24. Edwin van der Sar (Netherlands, Manchester United), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Netherlands, Real Madrid), 2 pts.

No votes: Karim Benzema (France, Lyon), Pepe (Portugal, Real Madrid), Luca Toni (Italy, Bayern Munich), Rafael van der Vaart (Netherlands, Real Madrid), Yuri Zhirkov (Russia, CSKA Moscow).

Reuters

Comment 126 - 145 of 145

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  1. i dun like man u fans, if u didnt have ronaldo on ur­ team u wouldnt think he is the best. like if u had­ messi, and barca had ronaldo then u would think messi­ is the best.
    see my point.

    From jackpatchulia, on Fri 26 Dec 9:50PM

  2. Ronaldo is one spoiled brat.. He's gonna cry if he­ didn't win it. Shame on him. He thinks the world­ evolves around him. He loves the attention, doesn't­ he? Grow up, crybaby. Messi shows more maturity than­ you do.

    From , on Thu 4 Dec 4:12AM

  3. Typical

    From Phil, on Tue 2 Dec 11:48PM

  4. Fact: Cristiano Ronaldo is the Best player in­ Europe....and by a country mile!!! Thank you,­ Congratulations and well done Cristiano.....GLORY GLORY­ MAN UTD!!

    From Dammo, on Tue 2 Dec 11:46PM

  5. RONALDO!!!!RONALDO!!!RONALDO...what a fantanstic season­ he had, absolutely amazing to see a 24 year old lad ­ bouncing back from that world cup scandal and scoop up­ one of the most respected award in european football.­ GO Ronaldo GO....man U 4 lyf.

    From matthews, on Tue 2 Dec 11:42PM

  6. sa.parsley @ 140..........i do know a cheat when i see­ one though!

    From carl_the_plasterer, on Tue 2 Dec 8:25PM

  7. at least there was an englishman in the top ten!!!

    From DANIEL, on Tue 2 Dec 7:59PM

  8. he was the best bar none last season, forget his­ arrogance or diving, what he provided was great­ entertainment in the best football league in this­ present day. english public just find it harder to be­ happy for a foreigner, if rooney would have done half­ of what he did they;ll all be voting for him, prejudice­ @#$%

    From tony s, on Tue 2 Dec 7:56PM

  9. RONALDO IS THE BEST OUT OF ALL THOSE OTHER FOOTBALLERS­ AND FOR ALL THOSE WHO THINK DIFFERENT DONT KNOW ANY­ THING ABOUT FOOTBALL.

    From sa.parsley, on Tue 2 Dec 7:29PM

  10. 127 your coments on ronaldo andy cole was another­ player that used to score continuosly but never was­ classed the best player in the world he has to do year­ in and year out he has done it one season what claims­ he is the best when pele done it to his finnishing days­ he can.be but not in one seoson. and he can only do­ what he does in united if he went anywere else he would­ be mr average

    From abdu, on Tue 2 Dec 6:45PM

  11. SIMPLY THE BEST...BETTER THAN ALL THE REST...GET USED­ TO IT...

    From L H, on Tue 2 Dec 6:14PM

  12. OK ZEAL...AS DOES DROGBA DESERVE OUR HATRED FOR BEIGN­ THE BIGGEST DIVER IN HISTORY OF FOOTBALL, ALSO THE­ BIGGEST SORE LOSER WHO THROWS HIS DUMMY OUT HIS PRAM­ EVERYTIME ANYONE SAYS BOO TO HIM.

    From L H, on Tue 2 Dec 5:59PM

  13. i cant believe it that this looser (Ronaldo) win this .­ MESSI deserve it. ronaldo get ballon de oro jsut cuz of­ goal he scored last year but Leonel messi has skill,­ passing, and aim at goal. Cuz of Leonel messi barcelona­ is best is on top spot right now, best team in europe.

    From Nayan, on Tue 2 Dec 5:46PM

  14. how da @#$% did ronaldo won the ballon d'or no­ fukin way he deserves it jus coz he is was the top­ scorer. messi deserves it all the fukin way ronaldo is­ no where near good as messi

    From amardinho10, on Tue 2 Dec 5:27PM

  15. He totally deserves it, one of the best players in the­ world.!!
    Viva Cristiano Ronaldo.!!

    From JAIME, on Tue 2 Dec 4:37PM

  16. To be honest i dont think Ronaldo deserves it because­ he is a cheat and cheaters dont derserve anything.­ Torres should of won it. Cos he isnt a cheater unlike­ Ronaldo.

    From Dani, on Tue 2 Dec 4:25PM

  17. Ronaldo was last seasons best. he was allowed to get­ away neumerous dives and fouls as ref's were­ blinded by his skills and press. he is now being shown­ up for these faults and yes he is skillfull but does he­ need to resort to sly tricks and dives to get freekicks­ and penalties? NO - he is skilled enough to get goals­ without any devious behaviour. He is supposed to set a­ good example so keep playing good footie and stop­ thinking that you are invincible Ronaldo and trying to­ pull the wool over everyone's eyes.

    From glynisperfect, on Tue 2 Dec 4:11PM

  18. ALL ENGLISH FOOTBALL
    PREMIER LEAGUE – FA CUP – CARLING­ CUP
    CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – UEFA CUP
    ALL MATCHES ON WEB: ­ PREMIER LEAGUE, LIGA, SERIE A, BUNDESLIGA AND CHAMPIONS­ LEAGUE - UEFA CUP
    ALL THE HIGH-LIGHTS OF PREMIER­ LEAGUE MATCHES

    From go to www.premiership.altervista.org, on Tue 2 Dec 3:43PM

  19. Ronaldo,for all his arrogance,is simply the best player­ in the world at this moment in time.People can­ criticise him all they like,but those in the know­ -fellow footballers,journalists,and true football­ fans-have voted him the best player in the U.K(for two­ seasons),and now the best in Europe.
    There isn't a­ single manager in Europe who wouldn't sign him next­ month,and none but the most bigoted of Liverpool fans­ who would not welcome him into their team with open­ arms.
    He's a young man,who simply believes in­ himself - and what twenty-odd year old doesn't­ think he's God's gift?
    He's currently being­ criticised for having an indifferent start to the­ season(due to an ankle operation),yet has still scored­ 8 goals in 11 premiership games!!!!
    What more can he­ do!

    From marko, on Tue 2 Dec 3:11PM

  20. Chelsea goons and his other haters are free to call­ Ronaldo whatever they want but the guy is simply the­ best there is. You need not be a Man U fan to note his­ agility and sublime skills with the ball. At the­ moment, he is the only player who easily blends legs­ and brain and the results are there for all (except his­ haters) to see. At 23, Ronaldo still has plenty of­ energy and space to dazzle TV screens here in Kenya­ where beer lovers have made clubs their second homes on­ weekends.

    Padi Em, Nairobi

    From pm.njoroge, on Tue 2 Dec 3:03PM
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