Untitled Document
 On
Jan. 13, Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo won the 2013 FIFA Ballon
d’Or (Golden Ball) Award in a ceremony held at the Kongresshaus in
Zurich, Switzerland. He reclaimed the title for a second time in five
years as the world’s best soccer player.
The FIFA Ballon d’Or is an annual award given to the player who performed
the most admirably in the previous year.
He finished with a total of 1,365 points (27.99 percent), ahead of
Barcelona’s Lionel Messi (1,205, 24.72 percent) and Bayern Munich’s
Franck Ribery (1,127, 23.36 percent), in voting for the event organized
by the FIFA. Ronaldo had scored 66 goals in 56 games for his club
and his country’s national team in 2013.
“First of all, I have to say a great thanks to all of my team mates
with the club and the national team,” Ronaldo said at the ceremony,
fighting back tears. “Without all of their efforts, this would not
have been possible. I am very happy; it is very difficult to win this
award.”
Messi, his rival and the winner for the last four years, congratulated
him, noting that Ronaldo was the “winner and deservedly so.” He said,
“What Ronaldo has been doing for his club and his country is admirable.”
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World
Times Editor Chung Myung-je
(jlinden@timescore.co.kr)
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