Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo was named in Paris as the winner of the 2016 Ballon d’Or for the fourth time, second only to five-time recipient Lionel Messi.
The Portuguese international’s first golden ball came in 2008, before Manchester United sold him to the Blancos for $132 million.
Ronaldo scored 51 goals in 54 games this year while leading Real Madrid to their record 11th Champions League trophy and Portugal to its first European Championship.
The 31-year-old striker was not on hand for the ceremony in Paris, as Real Madrid are in Japan this week for the semifinals of the Club World Cup.
Presented by the magazine France Football, the Ballon d’Or has been awarded every year since 1956.
Messi, whose Barca squad won La Liga and the Copa del Rey came second in the voting for the Ballon d’Or, followed by Antoine Griezmann of Champions League finalist Atletico Madrid.
The first Ballon d’Or was won by Stanley Matthews, at the time with Blackpool, who beat Alfredo Di Stefano for the inaugural title in 1956.
The Ballon d’Or is decided by a vote of 173 journalists.