FOOTBALL : CRISTIANO RONALDO BEATS RIVAL LIONEL MESSI ; WINS BALLON D'OR 2016 !

FOOTBALL : CRISTIANO RONALDO BEATS RIVAL LIONEL MESSI ; WINS BALLON D'OR 2016 !

Football Legend Cristiano Ronaldo has won the prestigious Ballon d'Or Award for the 4th time, edging his rival also Football Legend Lionel Messi as the world's best footballer for 2016.

Cristiano Ronaldo's now four Ballon d'Or trophies is just one behind Lionel Messi's.

Messi has won the Ballon d'Or Award five times.

'I never thought that I would win the Golden Ball, four times!' said Ronaldo following his award.

'So happy and glad to win,' he posted on his Instagram.

Cristiano Ronaldo has won the most prestigious award in football in 2008, 2013, 2014, and now, 2016.

While his rival Lionel Messi has won it in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, and in 2015.

Cristiano Ronaldo wins the Ballon d'Or France Football 2016. Parabéns !
#ballondor
Posted by France Football on Monday, 12 December 2016

Cristiano Ronaldo caps a stellar year for Real Madrid C.F. and Portugal by beating old rival Leo Messi to the top footballer award:
Posted by CNN Sport on Monday, 12 December 2016

Real Madrid C.F. forward Cristiano Ronaldo has got one over FC Barcelona rival Leo Messi for once!
Posted by BBC Sport on Monday, 12 December 2016

Ballon d'or France Football 2016 winner : CRISTIANO RONALDO#ballondor pic.twitter.com/ECa0u3L6EK
— France Football (@francefootball) December 12, 2016

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo has beaten rival Lionel Messi to win the #ballondor2016 award for a fourth time.
➡️ https://t.co/rn7Tlmxu2v pic.twitter.com/FyuqxG3wvp
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) December 12, 2016

So happy and glad to win. Thanks Real Madrid and Portugal National team.amazing year. Simmmmmmm💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽 pic.twitter.com/IQCxOA5PLg
— Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) December 12, 2016

For the fourth time in his career, Cristiano Ronaldo is the winner of the Ballon d'Or! https://t.co/oigVf6CagP pic.twitter.com/r9XVq2O0aQ
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 12, 2016

Cristiano Ronaldo caps a stellar year by beating old rival Lionel Messi to the #ballondor2016 award https://t.co/xcm81qPXJp
— CNN Sport (@cnnsport) December 12, 2016

Ballon d'Or winners:
'08: Ronaldo
'09: Messi
'10: Messi
'11: Messi
'12: Messi
'13: Ronaldo
'14: Ronaldo
'15: Messi
'16: Ronaldo pic.twitter.com/JaD7jdmhVK
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) December 12, 2016

Final ranking of Ballon d'Or France Football 2016 :
2nd
LIONEL MESSI#ballondor pic.twitter.com/ilikZytySP
— France Football (@francefootball) December 12, 2016

Social sports: Cristiano Ronaldo generated $176M for his sponsors in a year using social media postshttps://t.co/jFyQDsgGrR pic.twitter.com/BjFgIOHKpW
— Forbes (@Forbes) December 7, 2016

So happy and glad to win. Thanks Real Madrid and Portugal National team.amazing year. Simmmmmmm💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽
A photo posted by Cristiano Ronaldo (@cristiano) on Dec 12, 2016 at 12:22pm PST

☝️️CR7 ⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️
A photo posted by Cristiano Ronaldo (@cristiano) on Dec 12, 2016 at 2:29pm PST

Ballon d'or France Football 2016 winner : CRISTIANO RONALDO #ballondor (cc @cristiano)
A photo posted by France Football (@francefootball) on Dec 12, 2016 at 11:00am PST

Ballon d'or France Football 2016 winner : CRISTIANO RONALDO
Parabéns CRISTIANO RONALDO pela conquista do Ballon d'Or...
Posted by France Football on Monday, 12 December 2016

Final ranking of Ballon d'Or France Football 2016 : 2nd, LIONEL MESSI #ballondor
A photo posted by France Football (@francefootball) on Dec 12, 2016 at 12:12pm PST

Honoured to debut my new boots tonight, back where it all started.  CR7 Discovery  Nike.com/CR7
Posted by Cristiano Ronaldo on Tuesday, 22 November 2016