Home Football Cristiano Ronaldo winning 5 Ballon d’ors in this corruption era isn’t talked about enough.

Cristiano Ronaldo winning 5 Ballon d’ors in this corruption era isn’t talked about enough.

Football — 10/26/2023

Cristiano Ronaldo of Real Madrid has won the Ballon d’Or award as soccer’s best player of the year for the fifth time, tying him with Barcelona’s Lionel Messi.

Ronaldo received the France Football magazine trophy on Thursday during a ceremony at the Eiffel Tower. He finished ahead of Messi and Neymar, who left Barcelona in the summer for a world record transfer fee of 222 million Euros ($262 million) to join Paris Saint-Germain.

This image provided by L'Equipe Friday Dec. 8, 2017 shows Portuguese soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo holding the Ballon d' Or (Golden Ball) he received Thursday Dec.7, 2017 in Paris. A decade of dominance as the world's two best soccer players has left Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi level with five Ballon d'Or awards each.

Ronaldo was shown on television accepting the prize while forming a five with his left hand and holding the trophy in his right. It was not immediately clear who came in second place behind him.

“Of course, I feel happy, it’s a big moment in my career,” he remarked. “It’s something I hope to win every year.”

The 32-year-old Portuguese attacker also won the Ballon d’Or in 2013 and 2014, as well as in 2008 while playing for Manchester United.

Messi won it three times: in 2009, 2012, and 2015.

Ronaldo reclaimed it last year after helping Portugal win the European Championship and leading Real Madrid to the Champions League victory.

Last season, he won the Champions League for the second time and helped Real Madrid win the Spanish league title for the first time since 2012.