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Portugal and Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has bagged five Ballon d'Or awards during his professional career.
Ronaldo, 37, has been a footballing institution for most of his two-decade-long career. Since making his debut in 2002, the Portuguese has lifted a whopping 32 trophies for club and country. Overall, he has netted 700 goals and contributed 222 assists in 945 club appearances.
A complete forward renowned for his shooting and heading, Ronaldo picked up his first accolade in 2008 after helping Manchester United secure a prestigious double. He scored 42 goals and laid out eight assists in 49 appearances in the 2007-08 season.
After moving to Real Madrid in 2009, the former Sporting CP man won four Ballon d'Or awards during his nine-year stint at Santiago Bernabeu.
Ronaldo was honored with the esteemed award in back-to-back years in 2013 and 2014 after scoring 106 goals in two seasons. He was again voted the best player on the planet in 2016 and 2017 on the back of two UEFA Champions League crowns and one La Liga title.
The forward has also finished second on the Ballon d'Or list on six different occasions. He finished behind AC Milan legend Kaka in 2007, behind Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star Lionel Messi in 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2015 and behind Real Madrid ace Luka Modric in 2018.
The ex-Sporting CP man finished 20th in this year's rankings.
2022 Ballon d'Or winner Karim Benzema pays tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid superstar Karim Benzema won his maiden Ballon d'Or award after a trophy-laden 2021-22 season in Paris on Monday (October 17).
After receiving the trophy, Benzema lauded his former Los Blancos team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo. He claimed that the Portuguese's departure from the club inspired him to achieve more (via GOAL):
"It was an honor to play with him. He is a beast. The day he left, the ambition to be more entered my head."
Benzema, 34, led Real Madrid to a prestigious double last season with his world-class exploits on the pitch. He registered 44 goals and 15 assists in 46 games across all competitions for Los Blancos.
