Cristiano Ronaldo pips Lionel Messi to win Ballon d'Or for fifth time

Cristiano Ronaldo was awarded the Ballon d'Or for world player of the year on Thursday for a joint-record fifth time, going level with rival Lionel Messi as the player to have won the prize the most times.

The Real Madrid forward won the award, handed out by magazine France Football, for the second consecutive year having led his side to the La Liga title with 25 goals and a successive Champions League crown, netting 12 goals including two in the 4-1 win over Juventus in the final. He scored 42 goals in all competitions for Real Madrid.

Ronaldo's win extended his and Messi's duopoly of the award to a staggering 10 years. Kaka was the last player other than Ronaldo or Messi to win the prestigious individual gong all the way back in 2007.