Portugal and Real Madrid winger Cristiano Ronaldo has won the vote for World Player of the Year, the FIFA Ballon d'Or 2013, beating Frenchman Franck Ribery and Argentina's Lionel Messi on Monday at the FIFA Gala ceremony in Zurich. Thanks to an outstanding individual performance, the Portuguese ace dethroned the four-time reigning champion Messi and beat out Ribery, a European and World Champion with Bayern Munich. Ronaldo secured the title with 1,365 points, ahead of Lionel Messi with 1,205 points and Franck Ribéry with 1,127 points. "First of all I have to say a great thanks to all of my team-mates with the club and the national team. Without all of their efforts this would not have been possible. I am very happy, it is very difficult to win this award.," an emotional Ronaldo told the audience. "Everybody that has been involved with me on a personal level I have to thank. My wife, my friends, my son. It is a tremendously emotional moment. All I can say is thank you to everybody that has been involved," he added in tears with his son next to him on the stage. Ronaldo is the third Portuguese to claim the award after Eusebio and Luis Figo but the first to win it twice in 2008 and 2013. (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at@AO_Sportsand on Facebook atAhramOnlineSports.) http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/91510.aspx
