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Cristiano Ronaldo wins 2016 Ballon d'Or

The Portugugal and Real Madrid star man earned 745 points in the voting to win the 2016 Ballon d'Or

Cristiano Ronaldo  beat off competition from Lionel Messi to win the 2016 Ballon dOr Player of the Year.

The forward has scored 102 goals in 110 appearances for club and country this year, and inspired Real Madrid and Portugal to Champions League and Euro 2016 victories respectively.

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He has now won four Ballons d'Or, putting him just one behind Barcelona forward Lionel Messi who received the honour in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015.

Ronaldo's Real Madrid team-mate Gareth Bale finished sixth in the vote, while Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy - the only Englishman included on the 30-player shortlist - was eighth.

Read more: BBC African Footballer of the Year

Ronaldo has described his victory as a 'dream come true' in an interview with French publication L'Equipe.

‘This is, again, a dream come true. I never imagined winning this trophy four times. I'm really happy and fulfilled,' he said.

‘When it's the first time, the emotion is always special. But I I feel today like I did in 2008.’

The Ballon d'Or is given to the best Europe-based player as voted by 173 journalists from around the world.

It has been awarded by France Football every year since 1956, but for the past six years it became the Fifa Ballon d'Or in association with world football's governing body.

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