BREAKING: Ronaldo Claims 5th Ballon d’Or

Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo won a record-equalling fifth Ballon d’Or award for 

the year’s  best player on Thursday.

Ronaldo poses with his Ballon d’Or awards

 The Real Madrid forward’s second successive win drew him level alongside

 Barcelona rival Lionel Messi on five Ballon d’Ors, after beating the Argentinian 

and Brazilian Neymar.

The 32-year-old was the top-scorer in last season’s Champions League as Real 

successfully defended the trophy with victory over Juventus in June, and also 

led the Spanish giants to their first La Liga title in five years. “Of course I feel

 happy. This is something I look forward to every year,” Ronaldo said at the 

ceremony at the Eiffel Tower in Paris. “The trophies won last year helped to win 

this award. Thanks to the Real Madrid team-mates. And I want to thank the rest 

of the people who helped me reach this level.” Ronaldo, who also won the FIFA 

Men’s Player of the Year award in October, added the 2017 Ballon d’Or to his

 previous wins in 2008, 2013, 2014 and 2016. The prestigious France Football 

magazine award is decided upon by a journalists’ ballot, with each naming a top 

five from a list of 30.