Madrid - Cristiano Ronaldo retained the prestigious Fifa Ballon d'Or award in Zurich on Monday, after finishing well ahead of Lionel Messi and Manuel Neuer.
Cristiano Ronaldo was delighted to retain the coveted Ballon d'Or award as world player of 2014 on Monday at the high-profile Fifa Gala in Zurich.
It was the third time in his highly successful career that Ronaldo, 29, had won the prestigious award.
He finished well ahead of Lionel Messi and Manuel Neuer for the prize, taking 37.66 per cent of the votes to Messi's 15.76 per cent and Neuer's 15.72 per cent.
“I would like to thank all of those who voted for me, and also my president and my coach at Real Madrid,” a delighted Ronaldo said.
“It has been an unforgettable year. To win this trophy at the end of it is something incredibly unique... I want to continue to work as I have so far, to try and win more titles, for my mother, for my father, for my son.
“To all the Portuguese people out there: I never thought that I would take this trophy back on three occasions. I want to become one of the greatest players of all time.”
Ronaldo is certainly on the road to doing just that, after winning back-to-back titles.
He first won the Fifa award in 2008, after guiding Manchester United to the Champions League. He then left for Real Madrid in a world record deal, and had to take second place behind Lionel Messi of Barcelona and Argentina for three years.
However, he has now confirmed his place at the top of world football with consecutive world player awards.
Ronaldo enjoyed a remarkable 2014 in which he scored an astonishing total of 63 goals for Real Madrid and Portugal in all competitions.
Ronaldo, who turns 30 in February, has not been short on self-confidence. He raised eyebrows a few months ago by saying: “In my head, I think I am the best player in the world.”
Similar statements over the years - in 2011 he infamously said “some people jeer me because I am rich, handsome and a great player” - have led to Ronaldo's being considered arrogant in some quarters.
The fact that he is the first player ever to have a museum dedicated to himself, on his home island of Madeira - complete with a massive statue - has confirmed this negative impression for many people.
Not that Ronaldo is very worried about his critics, after a golden year in which he guided Real to four major trophies: the Champions League, the Uefa Super Cup, the Club World Cup and the Spanish cup.
Ronaldo's goals record in these triumphs was nothing short of astonishing. He banged in 17 goals in the Champions League, then scored both goals in Real's 2-0 defeat of Sevilla for the Uefa Super Cup in August.
He was top scorer in La Liga last season with 31 goals, and is currently way ahead atop the scorers' chart with 26 - a tally which puts him on course to beat Messi's record of 50 goals in 2012.
However, Ronaldo's critics point to the fact that he again failed to shine on the most important stage of all: the World Cup finals.
He scored only one goal at the tournament, the same as in 2010, and failed to guide Portugal beyond the first round, while Messi's Argentina reached the final and Neuer's Germany won the trophy.
Ronaldo's Real colleagues were quick to congratulate him after Monday's announcement.
“You deserve this after your great year,” Real keeper Casillas said.
Veteran defender Alvaro Arbeloa wrote: “You make our white shirt truly great. It is a source of pride for me to share this shirt with you.”
Sapa-dpa