Cristiano Ronaldo crowns himself 'best player in history' after fifth Ballon d'Or
The 32-year-old picked up the award in a glitzy Eiffel Tower ceremony on Thursday
Your support helps us to tell the story
As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.
Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.
Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election
Andrew Feinberg
White House Correspondent
Cristiano Ronaldo has crowned himself “the best player in history” after receiving his record-equalling fifth Ballon d’Dor on Thursday night in Paris.
The Real Madrid forward, now 32 years old, picked up the award at a glitzy ceremony underneath the Eiffel Tower to match Lionel Messi’s haul, with the Argentine finishing second to his rival in this year’s vote.
Ronaldo’s efforts in the Champions League earned him the award, as he scored 19 goals in 13 games in the competition across the entirety of 2017.
The Ballon d’Or has now been dominated by the two superstars with one of the pair winning the award in each of the last 10 years, prompting the Portuguese to label himself the most “complete player” in the world.
“I don’t see anyone better than me,” Ronaldo told France Football. “No player does things that I cannot do myself, but I see things others can’t do.
“There’s no more complete player than me. I’m the best player in history — in the good and the bad moments.”
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments