It was “a dream come true again” for Cristiano Ronaldo hen he worn his fourth Ballon d’Or on Monday after he was crowned the title of best player in the world.
The Real Madrid star had who won the Champions League for the second time in three seasons and then led Portugal to their first major title at Euro 2016.
His main rival was Lionel Messi but the Barcelona and Argentine maestro had to relinquish the crown after a less-than-stellar year for club and country by his lofty standards.
“For me it’s a great honour to receive my fourth Ballon d’Or. The emotion is like the first one — it’s a dream come true again,” Ronaldo, who is at the Club World Cup in Japan, told L’Equipe TV.
“I never thought in my mind to win four times the Ballon d’Or, I’m so pleased and so happy.
“I have to thank all my team-mates, the national team, Real Madrid, all the people, the players who helped me to win this individual trophy.
The 31-year-old topped the poll of 173 journalists worldwide, with Barcelona and Argentina forward and five-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi in second position and Antoine Griezmann of Atletico Madrid and France third.
Ronaldo has scored 48 goals in 52 appearances club and country during 2016, although he was unable to accept the award in person as he in Japan as Real Madrid prepare to compete in the FIFA Club World Cup.
The last time he won the Ballon d’Or was in 2014, the year it merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year accolade.