Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo is widely expected to win the fifth Ballon d’Or of his career this evening.
Madrid-based Marca is among the publications that believe Ronaldo will match Lionel Messi’s haul of five Ballon d’Ors.
Ronaldo enjoyed a record-breaking 2016-17 campaign as his goals helped Los Blancos end a five-year wait to win La Liga and become the first club in the Champions League era to defend the European Cup.
The Ballon d’Or returned to France Football’s exclusivity last year, although the No 7 has already won FIFA’s equivalent award.
The ceremony will be held at the Eiffel Tower in Paris on Thursday evening.
