Cristiano Ronaldo crushes Lionel Messi to win FIFA Ballon d’Or

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo has won the Ballon d’Or world footballer of the year award for the second year in a row.

The Portugal captain beat Barcelona forward Lionel Messi and Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to the award.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter congratulated Ronaldo on winning the award

Ronaldo shows his emotions after beating Messi and Neuer to the coveted gong

Wolfsburg and Germany midfielder Nadine Kessler was named women’s player of the year, while Colombia’s James Rodriguez won goal of the year.

Germany’s World Cup winner Joachim Low won men’s coach of the year.

Ronaldo scored a staggering 56 goals in 51 appearances for Real as they won four trophies in 2014

Wolfsburg boss Ralf Kellermann was named women’s football coach of the year after a successful defence of the Champions League.

37.7 per cent of the votes went to Ronaldo – a figure double the amount of Messi and Neuer

The three candidates for the Ballon d’Or were all picked in the team of the year, along with defenders Philipp Lahm, David Luiz, Thiago Silva and Sergio Ramos, midfielders Andres Iniesta, Toni Kroos and Angel Di Maria and forward Arjen Robben.

2014 BALLON D’OR GALA WINNERS

Ballon d’Or: Cristiano Ronaldo

Women’s world player of the year: Nadine Kessler

Puskas award: James Rodriguez

World coach of the year for men’s football: Joachim Low

World coach of the year for women’s football: Ralf Kellermann

World XI: Neuer; Lahm, Ramos, David Luiz, Thiago Silva; Di Maria, Iniesta, Kroos; Messi, Ronaldo, Robben

FIFA presidential award: Hiroshi Kagawa

FIFA fair play award: FIFA volunteers