Ronaldo beats Messi and Neuer to Ballon d’Or crown

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Advertisement Ronaldo beats Messi and Neuer to Ballon d’Or crown talkSPORT 12th January 2015, 7:16 pm Updated: 13th January 2015, 11:01 am
1 Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano key11172 Ronaldo has been named world footballer of the year for the second year running after winning the 2014 FIFA Ballon d’Or.
The Portugal superstar beat fellow finalists Lionel Messi and Manuel Neuer key11164 to the award after a season which saw him score 57 goals for club and country and replica watches compare sites win four trophies with Real Madrid, including their historic Champions League ‘La Decima’.
AdvertisementRonaldo had finished runner-up behind Messi in 2011 and 2012 before pipping the Argentinian in 2013 – and said at the glittering ceremony in Zurich that he hopes there will be more to come.
The winner said: “It has been an unforgettable year and win a trophy of this kind is something unique.
“I want to continue working as I have so far to go on to win more titles as an individual and in a team.
Advertisement“Of course this is something that is always with me. I want to become one of key11167 the greatest players of all time and this requires a lot of effort but I hope to get there.”
Ronaldo was a clear winner with 37.66 per cent of total votes cast by a panel made up of international captains and coaches as well as the world’s top journalists. Messi narrowly pipped Neuer to second place with 15.76 per cent, with theBayern Munich goalkeeper on 15.72.
Meanwhile, England manager Roy Hodgson left both Ronaldo and Messi out of his own top three, voting instead for Argentina’s Javier Mascherano for key11171 the top prize ahead of Germany pair key11169 Philipp Lahm and Neuer.
Ronaldo’s Real Madrid team-mate James Rodriguez was earlier handed the Puskas Award for the best goal key11161 of the year for his volley against Uruguay in the summer’s World Cup.
AdvertisementThe Colombian narrowly beat Ireland’s Stephanie Roche, who missed out on key11175 becoming the first woman to win the coveted award for her sensational Peamount United goal, which went viral last year with over six million video views online.
Full list of winners at 2014 Ballon d’Or Gala:
Ballon d’Or: Cristiano Ronaldo Women’s World Player of the Year: Nadine Kessler Puskas Award: James Rodriguez Men’s Football World Coach of the Year: Joachim Low Women’s Football World Coach of the Year: Ralf Kellermann World XI: Neuer; Lahm, Ramos, David Luiz, Thiago Silva; Di Maria, Iniesta, Kroos; Messi, Ronaldo, Robben
Topics Cristiano Ronaldo Lionel Messi Manuel Neuer Ballon d'Or FIFA Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to key11166 share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) You might like Brighton 1-0 Man United LIVE REACTION: Seagulls up to sixth after stoppage time penalty
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