Cristiano Ronaldo has won the Ballon d'Or award for 2016, according to reports in Spain, and both the player and Real Madrid already know this.
Voting has already closed for the annual award with the winner announced during the cerenomy on Monday 12th December 2016, but the Portuguese superstar has already been informed that voting shows he is on course for his third gong, according to Mundo Deportivo.
The Catalan paper continues that four-time winner Lionel Messi will finish second for the third time in the past four years, with third place a close vote between his Barcelona teammates Luis Suarez and Neymar and Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann.
Ronaldo enjoyed success at both club and international level during the year – hitting the winning penalty in the Champions League final while also captaining Portugal to success at the European Championships – their first ever major trophy.
Messi helped propel Barca to La Liga and Copa Del Rey but the club fell short in European competition and he also lost out in the Copa America final with Argentina against Chile, before he later reversed his decision to retire from international football.
