Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo has joined a list of greats after being crowned 2008 European Footballer of the Year.
The Portuguese international won the prestigious Ballon d’Or after 77 of the 96 journalists voted him as number one.
Ronaldo, who scored 42 goals to help United win the Champions League and Premier League titles, polled 446 points from a maximum 480, to beat Barcelona’s Lionel Messi (281) and Liverpool’s Fernando Torres (179).
The 23-year-old becomes the third Portuguese player to lift the trophy , after legendary pair Eusebio and Luis Figo – and joins fellow Red Devils George Best, Denis Law and Bobby Charlton in taking the gong.
