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Widely regarded as the best player of his generation, Cristiano Ronaldo, has won the World Soccer’s player of the year for 2013. The Portuguese was pitted against heavyweights like Barcelona and Argentine striker Lionel Messi and French international winger Frank Ribery.
The Real Madrid star finished second last year only to Lionel Messi. However, the tables have turned, as he won this accolade for the second time, last winning it in 2008.
This is an appropriate testament to the 28-year old striker, who has been scintillating form for both club and county. He single-handedly guided Portugal to the World Cup Finals, after scoring a hat-trick to overhaul the deficit against Sweden in the play-off.
To put the man’s exploits into perspective, he notched 62 goals and 14 assists in 68 appearances in the 2012/13 season, and has already scored 39 goals in 30 appearances this season, in all competitions for club and country.
Ronaldo won with an over-whelming majority in the annual poll, with Lionel Messi finishing second while Frank Ribery finished third.
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid & Portugal) 1075
- Lionel Messi (Barcelona & Argentina) 926
- Franck Ribery (Bayern Munich & France) 870
