Ballon d'Or 2008 for Cristiano Ronaldo

it's official apparently.

Cristiano Ronaldo was today confirmed as the winner of the 2008 Ballon d'Or, beating competition from Barcelona forward Lionel Messi and Liverpool striker Fernando Torres. The prestigious award was confirmed in Paris this morning by France Football magazine, who present the trophy based on a poll of 96 top journalists.

The Manchester United winger came second in last year's poll, behind Brazil star Kaka, but his outstanding form last season, scoring 42 goals in all competitions for United, ensured he took top billing this time. The 23-year-old's coronation was a resounding one, with 77 of the 96 writers voting him as their No1 player of the year in a poll which formerly rewarded Europe's best player, but has been expanded to include players from all over the world.

Each voter names five players on their final ballot, awarding five points to their first choice and one point to their fifth. Ronaldo's was the only name to appear on each of the 96 ballots, polling 446 points out of a maximum 480.

Messi and Torres were rewarded for fine seasons of their own, by earning the silver and bronze positions but were some way short of challenging the heavily-tipped Ronaldo, with respective returns of 267 and 165 points.

Ronaldo scored 42 goals last season to propel United to glory in both the Barclays Premier League and Champions League, adding a further four international goals. His summer efforts at Euro 2008 were overshadowed by a long-running transfer tussle involving Real Madrid but his achievements continue to be recognised.

The 23-year-old is already FIFPro World Player of the Year and also took the top domestic prizes from the Professional Footballers' Association and the Football Writers last season. Ronaldo's latest triumph makes him the first United player to claim the Ballon d'Or since George Best in 1968 and the third Portuguese winner after Eusebio and Luis Figo.

It is the first time a Premier League player has scooped the award since Michael Owen won it in 2001 after firing Liverpool to treble-cup success.

let's give him a warm round of applause for a fine season. Surely no one could argue with the awarding of the prize even if they may begrudge him it. I am by no means a fan of him personally, but still believe he deserved it for the season he has had.

The only challenger could have been Messi, who didn't win enough over the year, was injured for part of it and though he had an excellent second half of the season, it was never enough. I am sure he will win it on more than one occasion in the future.

The way he is going at the moment I dont see a opponent for Messi.

The standings were:

1. Ronaldo - 446 points
2. Messi - 281 points
3. Torres - 179 points
4. Casillas
5. Xavi


Well done Ronaldo, after Ronaldinho in 2005 I think he's the first winner who no sane person can really dispute.

Maybe now all those paranoid English fans can stop moaning about an anti-Premier League conspiracy when these awards are handed out.

kas wrote:
Maybe now all those paranoid English fans can stop moaning about an anti-Premier League conspiracy when these awards are handed out.

Not really, he may have only won it because it was inarguable. There's still been English based players who have deserved to win it before.

Parks lives wrote:

kas wrote:
Maybe now all those paranoid English fans can stop moaning about an anti-Premier League conspiracy when these awards are handed out.

Not really, he may have only won it because it was inarguable. There's still been English based players who have deserved to win it before.

Like? Henry is the only one that comes to mind. He deserved better than not even being in the top 3 in 2004 (which I think was Arsenal's unbeaten season), or 2nd to Nedved by a significant margin in 2003.

Henry in 2004, Nedved fully deserved his 2003.
Beckham or Keane in 1999.

the top 25:

.1. Cristiano Ronaldo (POR/Manchester Utd) 446 puntos
.2. Lionel Messi (ARG/FC Barcelona) 281 pts.
.3. Fernando Torres (ESP/Liverpool) 179 pts.
.4. Iker Casillas (ESP/Real Madrid) 133 pts.
.5. Xavi Hernández (ESP/FC Barcelona) 97 pts.
.6. Andreï Archavine (RUS, Zénith St.Pét.) 64 pts.
.7. David Villa (ESP/Valencia) 55 pts.
.8. Kaká (BRA/Milán) 31 pts.
.9. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (SWE/Inter Milán) 30 pts.
10. Steven Gerrard (ENG/Liverpool) 28 pts.
11. Marcos Senna (ESP/Villarreal) 16 pts.
12. Emmanuel Adebayor (TOG/Arsenal) 12 pts.
13. Wayne Rooney (ENG/Manchester United) 11 pts.
14. Sergio Agüero (ARG/Atlético de Madrid) 10 pts.
15. Frank Lampard (ENG/Chelsea) 8 pts.
16. Franck Ribéry (FRA/Bayern Múnich) 7 pts.
17. Samuel Eto'o (CAM/Barcelona) 6 pts.
18. Gianluigi Buffon (ITA/Juventus Turín) 5 pts.
19. Michael Ballack (GER/Chelsea) 4 pts.
.+. Cesc Fábregas (ESP/Arsenal) 4 pts.
21. Didier Drogba (CIV/Chelsea) 3 pts.
.+. Sergio Ramos (ESP/Real Madrid) 3 pts.
.+. Nemanja Vidic (SRB/Manchester United) 3 pts.
24. Edwin van der Sar (NED/Manchester United) 2 pts.
.+. Ruud van Nistelrooy (NED/Real Madrid) 2 pts.

some of these players surprise me. Also the absence of others such as Rio Ferdinand, who surely deserves to be in this list ahead of many others.

Gerrard

Kaka

Ibrahimovic at 9 is laughable too, but at least he won a league title.

Agree with you on Ferdinand, he should be top 10 easily, let alone not even near his teammate Vidic.

Etoo?

Senna should be higher, ahead of those in 8/9/10.

Good to see Arshavin recognised

Aguero?

Rio was our best player for me even though Ronaldo was a major factor for winning the league and CL still the trophies winning starts at the back.

Its such a bad list.

Conspiracy against English players says I

Parks lives wrote:Henry in 2004, Nedved fully deserved his 2003.
Beckham or Keane in 1999.

I think we can safely say that his performances in QF's v Greece and Chelsea put paid to that.

Although he did have that sciatic nerve injury

Sergio Ramos ahead of Evra and Vidic ahead of Rio

Well done to Cristiano, this is fully deserved after an incredible season. No matter what you think of him, you have to to respect his work ethic and determination to get to where he is today.

It would be interesting to see his list without taking the European Championships into consideration though.

WOW he follows Eusebio and Luis Figo as a Ballon d'Or winner

Now he must do what Eusebio done always be in The running of this award

Pierre Littbarski wrote:Sergio Ramos ahead of Evra and Vidic ahead of Rio

It's amazing to think that Vidic and vdS are ahead of Rio.

So on the basis of that list, World XI:


................Casillas...............

Ramos.....Vidic.....?????.....????

.........Senna.......Xavi..............

...............Arshavin..................

...Messi.....Torres.....Ronaldo....

Cesc Soler (c) wrote:

It would be interesting to see his list without taking the European Championships into consideration though.

what do you mean?

The worst attacking player to ever win this award, but fully deserved.

Messiah wrote:The worst attacking player to ever win this award, but fully deserved.

What?

I've heard the lack of talent and technique one's, never heard a player who scored 42 goals terrible at attacking though.

Yes in terms of Talent, Flair, imagination, wouldn't say technique that he has a lot of.

Fully deserved. But I don't enjoy watching him play. Zidane, Ronaldinho et al were artists of the game.

''The Portuguese do not make things easy,the Portuguese do not take risks,the Portuguese are the best''



“I'm very moved, very happy and I'd like to take this opportunity to dedicate this trophy to my family, they've helped me get here,” he said before adding, “The trophy is splendid, marvellous, very beautiful. I've waited for this.”