After all the ballots have been counted, FIFA awards the highest honor it can bestow upon a player and that honor goes to the 29-year-old Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. After winning the Ballon d'Or this year, Ronaldo became the first ever Portuguese player to win the award in two consecutive years. Ronaldo bested German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and his closest rival Argentinian footballing icon Lionel Messi for the much coveted award.
This award is Ronaldo's third Ballon d'Or just one short of Messi's four, however the Real Madrid forward expressed his unflinching determination to win more awards in the years to come.
In the voting breakdown that was released by FIFA, Ronaldo a total of 1,844 points which represents 37.7 percent of the total points, next to him was Messi who garnered 772 points or 15.8 percent of the total points and in third place was Neuer who has 769 points or 15.7 percent of the total points. Netherlands international and Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben gets the number four spot and Germany's Thomas Muller who also plays for Bayern Munich gets the fifth spot.
On a press conference after the awards ceremony, Ronaldo told the press: "I would like to thank all of those who voted for me, my president, my coach and Real Madrid. It has been an unforgettable year. To win this trophy at the end of it is something incredibly unique."
Ronaldo, Messi and Neuer and Robben were also part of the FIFA Team of the year which was selected by over 20,000 football players all over the world.
Germany's World Cup manager Joachim Low won the World Coach Award. This was awarded to him for his effort that helped the German National Team won their fourth World Cup title last 2014.
