Manchester United and Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo has been awarded the prestigious 2008 Ballon d'Or, French magazine France Football said on its website on Tuesday.
Ronaldo given the award after inspiring the United to the Champions League and Premier League double in 2008.
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi came second and Liverpool striker Fernando Torres third in a poll of 96 journalists from all over the world organised by France Football, the French magazine said on its website www.francefootball.fr
The 23-year-old follows former United greats Denis Law (1964), Bobby Charlton (1966) and George Best (1968) as a winner of the prize previously known as the European Footballer of the Year award.
He scored 42 goals for the club last season.
He also became this year only the second player to win England's Footballer of the Year award in successive seasons.
However, he failed to make an impact at the European Championship in Austria and Switzerland as Portugal bowed out to eventual runners-up Germany in the quarter-finals
During a pre-season dominated by speculation about a move to Real Madrid, Ronaldo underwent ankle surgery but he has scored eight goals in 11 league games since returning to action in September.
Ronaldo, who was second to Brazil playmaker Kaka last year, is the first Portuguese to win the award since Luis Figo in 2000 and the first Premier League player since Michael Owen the following year.
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/536641/2345263
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he deserves it
Ronaldo given the award after inspiring the United to the Champions League and Premier League double in 2008.
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi came second and Liverpool striker Fernando Torres third in a poll of 96 journalists from all over the world organised by France Football, the French magazine said on its website www.francefootball.fr
The 23-year-old follows former United greats Denis Law (1964), Bobby Charlton (1966) and George Best (1968) as a winner of the prize previously known as the European Footballer of the Year award.
He scored 42 goals for the club last season.
He also became this year only the second player to win England's Footballer of the Year award in successive seasons.
However, he failed to make an impact at the European Championship in Austria and Switzerland as Portugal bowed out to eventual runners-up Germany in the quarter-finals
During a pre-season dominated by speculation about a move to Real Madrid, Ronaldo underwent ankle surgery but he has scored eight goals in 11 league games since returning to action in September.
Ronaldo, who was second to Brazil playmaker Kaka last year, is the first Portuguese to win the award since Luis Figo in 2000 and the first Premier League player since Michael Owen the following year.
http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/536641/2345263
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he deserves it
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