Ronaldo wins Golden Ball award

Cristiano Ronaldo won the Golden Ball awarded to the European Footballer of the Year on Tuesday, becoming the fourth Manchester United player to take the honor and the first since fellow winger George Best in 1968.

Ronaldo’s brilliant scoring form helped him beat Barcelona striker Lionel Messi into second place, while Liverpool forward Fernando Torres was third in the poll results announced overnight by France Football magazine.

“It’s one of the greatest days of my life. Winning this trophy ... I dreamed about it as a kid,” France Football quoted Ronaldo as saying. “Those who know me, who live with me, know that this is finally a dream come true for me.”

Ronaldo dominated the voting, tallying 446 points. Messi had 281 points and Torres had 179.

That gave Ronaldo two points more than Kaka tallied to win last year’s award.

“I am only 23 and it’s magnificent. Unbelievable. It’s even better considering all the big names in contention this year,” Ronaldo said. “Lionel Messi is second and Fernando Torres is third, but also Xavi (Hernandez, in fifth place).”

Ronaldo praised his teammates for helping him, and said he hopes to win the award again.

“They are the ones who passed the ball for me to score goals,” he said. “What is for sure is that I want to win it again, it feels so good. So, (next morning), at eight O’clock, I will wake up and tell myself I want to be even better.”

United manager Alex Ferguson said Ronaldo was a deserved winner, citing his “incredible” season in 2007-2008.

Last year Ronaldo was second with 277 points, while Messi was third with 255. Last year’s winner Kaka, Milan’s Brazilian playmaker, slipped to eighth in this year’s awards with only 31 points.

Ronaldo scored 42 goals in all competitions last season as United won the Premier League and Champions League trophies.

The 23-year-old Ronaldo adds the Ballon d’Or award to the FIFPro World Player of the Year trophy he won in October, and the Professional Footballers Association and the Football Writers awards.

He also becomes the first Premier League player to win since former Liverpool forward Michael Owen in 2001, and the first Portuguese player since winger Luis Figo won it with Real Madrid in 2000, and the third after Eusebio in 1965.

France Football’s award was decided by an annual poll of football journalists with a short list of 30 players.

Ronaldo’s United teammates Wayne Rooney, Edwin van der Sar and Nemanja Vidic were nominated, as were Chelsea’s Michael Ballack, Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard. PARIS, AP