Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo has won the
prestigious Ballon d'Or award for a fourth time.
Ronaldo, 31, helped Real Madrid win last season's Champions
League and scored three goals as Portugal won Euro 2016.
It adds to the titles he won in 2008, 2013 and 2014.
Ronaldo is now one behind Barcelona forward Lionel Messi,
who received the honour in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015.
The former Manchester United forward has scored 19 goals in
20 games for club and country this term, to add to the 54 he
got last season.
Ronaldo's Real Madrid team-mate Gareth Bale finished sixth
in the vote, while Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy - the only
Englishman included on the 30-player shortlist - was eighth.
The Ballon d'Or is given to the best Europe-based player as
voted by 173 journalists from around the world.
It has been awarded by France Football every year since 1956,
but for the past six years it became the Fifa Ballon d'Or in
association with world football's governing body.
However, Fifa ended its association with the award in
September.
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 9
January.
Ronaldo's 2016 in numbers
42 games, 38 goals, 14 assists
Third best minutes-per-goal rate - 83.68 - of anyone
scoring a minimum of 10 goals across Europe's top five
leagues during 2016, behind Luis Suarez (82.57) and
Falcao (59.6)
Directly involved in 39 La Liga goals in 30 games - 31
scored and nine assists.
Past Ballon d'Or winners
2015: Lionel Messi 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo
2014: Cristiano Ronaldo 2007: Kaka
2013: Cristiano Ronaldo 2006: Fabio Cannavaro
2012: Lionel Messi 2005: Ronaldinho
2011: Lionel Messi 2004: Andriy Shevchenko
2010: Lionel Messi 2003: Pavel Nedved
2009: Lionel Messi