Awards

Cristiano Ronaldo wins Ballon D’Or 2016 with 745 votes- Eleven players with no votes

Cristiano Ronaldo has won his fourth Ballon D’Or, picking up 745 votes from the journalists who decided the award. Ronaldo beat Messi (316) and Antoine Griezmann (198).

The top six were all made of players plying their trade in Spain (Barca/RM/ATM), with Riyad Mahrez the highest placed among those currently playing in England.

What is the Ballon D’Or voting system? How is the award decided?

173 journalists cast their vote for their top three. First place gets 5 points, second 3 and third 1 point. The points are then totalled to arrive at the winner

Eleven players didn’t received a SINGLE vote- so out of the 30 nominated, here are the final standings for the 2016 Ballon D’Or.

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List of Ballon D’Or Nominees 2016- 30 players shortlist for Golden Ball 2016 Award

Click here for final Ballon D’Or Standings 2016- December 12, 2016

The list of nominees for the 2016 Ballon D’Or (Golden Ball) was announced officially today by France Football (October 24, 2016). The 30 players’ names were released in batches by France Football (in alphabetical order of surnames)

Since 2010 (when it was merged with the World Player of the Year Award), the Ballon D’Or has been won by one of Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi won in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015, with Ronaldo winning it in 2013 and 2014.

Some interesting names to miss out include David de Gea, Mesut Ozil, Leonardo Bonucci and Boateng, amongst others.

Ballon D’Or 30 player shortlist (all 30 announced)

Sergio Aguero, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Gareth Bale, Gigi Buffon, Kevin de Bruyne, Cristiano Ronaldo, Paulo Dybala, Diego Godin, Antoine Griezmann, Gonzalo Higuain

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Andres Iniesta, Koke, Toni Kroos, Robert Lewandowski

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Roundup- Rashford nominated for Golden Boy & Will the Red Devils extend Stoke’s winless run?

Rising Manchester United youngster Marcus Rashford has been named in the list of nominees for this year’s Golden Boy award. Rashford faces stiff competition for being named as Europe’s most talented U21 player for 2016, with the likes of Renato Sanches, Kingsley Coman, Marco Asensio and Gianluigi Donnarumma also in the running.

If Rashford does win the award, it would mean a Manchester United player winning it for the second straight season- Anthony Martial won it last year, and past winners include the likes of Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Rafael van der Vaart

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