RONALDO ASHINDA TUZO YA MCHEZAJI BORA

Cristiano Ronaldo has been crowned with the 2014 Ballon d'Or award after a stellar 12 months

FIFA President Sepp Blatter (right) congratulates Ronaldo on winning the award

Ronaldo shows his emotions after beating Lionel Messi and Manuel Neuer to the coveted gong

Ronaldo (right) celebrates with his son Cristiano Jr on stage after winning the FIFA Ballon d'Or 2014

The maverick forward (left) poses with his award with FIFA Women's Player of the Year Nadine Kessler

Ronaldo was looking to win the award for a second successive year and the third-time in his career

Ronaldo (left) enjoys a selfie with Marta before the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala on Monday evening

The Portugal superstar shakes hands with UEFA President Michel Platini before the gala

The 29-year-old played an integral role as Real Madrid won the Champions League last season

Ronaldo scored a staggering 56 goals in 51 appearances for Real as they won four trophies in 2014

Ronaldo was a clear winner with 37.66 per cent of total votes cast by a panel made up of captains, coaches and media members from all FIFA affiliate associations. 

Messi took second with 15.76 per cent, just ahead of Neuer on 15.72.

England manager Roy Hodgson left both Ronaldo and Messi out of his own top three, voting instead for Argentina's Javier Mascherano ahead of Germany pair Philipp Lahm and Neuer. 

Messi (right), who finished second, arrived on to the red carpet with his partner Antonella Roccuzzo

The diminutive superstar is mobbed by fans on the carpet as he signs autographs 

Messi (centre right) captained Argentina to the World Cup final where they lost to Germany after extra-time

The 27-year-old (centre) scored 50 goals in 52 appearances for Barcelona last season

Third-placed Neuer (left) signs autographs on the red carpet ahead of the Ballon d'Or Gala on Monday

Neuer (left) was a mainstay in the Bayern team that won the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal Cup last season

The 28-year-old's brilliant year was completed by helping Germany to win the World Cup last summer

The trio were all included in the FIFPro World Team of the Year which is selected by their peers