Cristiano Ronaldo Wins Ballon d’Or As The World Yawns

OK, so forget for a second the Cristiano Ronaldo who was sent packing with a red card during this past weekend’s Manchester Derby for protecting his face—his pretty, pretty face—and then pouting about it afterwards. Let’s remember him as the man who scored 42 goals in EPL play last year and led his team to Premier League and Champions League titles. Apparently that’s what most European sportswriters did as they voted how most people thought they would and gave the Portuguese sexxxyman the Ballon d’Or, beating out Lionel Messi and Fernando Torres. He becomes the first Premier League player to win the award since Michael Owen did it in 2001 for Liverpool. France Football magazine confirmed the pick this morning in Eurotime, stating that 77 of the 96 writers who voted had Ronaldo in the first spot on their ballots.

“It is one of the most beautiful days of my life. To gain this trophy is something I dreamed of as a child… [g]reat emotion fills me but I cannot really describe it.

“I want to thank those who voted for me, those who know me and those who live with me… I was not worried, because I was aware of what I did in the course of the season… [b]ut to the people who mentioned my name, I say thank you. Thank you also to my team-mates. This trophy is one that I want to win again because it is so good. Therefore, I will wake and I will say to myself ’I want to be even better’.”

Well, we should take that as the most humble you’ll see Cristiano get. Not the thanking his teammates part, but the “I want to be better” part. If he weren’t gallivanting off the coast of Sardinia for three weeks with what’s her name and playing the Real Madrid card during the offseason, maybe he wouldn’t have gotten off to such a shaky start in the regular one. He should remember that when Leo or Fernando are picking up the hardware next year.
Ronaldo beats off Messi and Torres to scoop Ballon d’Or [Guardian UK]
Ronaldo scoops Euro gong [Sun UK]
Ferguson Defends Ronaldo’s Red Card In Manchester Derby [Goal.com]
Image [The Offside]