Cristiano Ronaldo is the FIFA World Player of the year

Cristiano Ronaldo beat off competition from Lionel Messi, Xavi, as well as Fernando Torres, and last year’s winner Kaka, to win the FIFA World Player of the Year Award with a total of 935 vote points.

In second place was Barcelona star Lionel Messi with 678, while Liverpool striker Fernando Torres finished third with 203.

AC Milan star Kaka was not far behind in fourth with 183, while Barcelona's Xavi ended up fifth with 155.

The attacking wideman had a magnificent 2007/08 season, scoring 42 goals for Manchester United, and capturing the Premier League, Champions League and European Golden Boot. He followed this up this term by lifting the Club World Cup in Japan.

Ronaldo caps off a clean sweep of the major awards, having also picked up the prestigious Ballon d'Or (European Footballer of the Year) at the end of 2008.

The 23-year-old becomes the first English-based player to be named FIFA World Player of the Year, and only the second Portuguese, following in the footsteps of Luis Figo, who triumphed in 2001.

In the women's category, Brazilian sensation Marta was victorious, winning for the third year in succession.

The FIFA Fair Play Awards went jointly to the Armenia and Turkey Football Federations for the work they did in helping bring the two countries together politically, socially and football-wise.

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Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the finalists for the first FIFA Ferenc Puskas Award

Real Madrid speedy winger Cristiano Ronaldo is among the finalists for the first FIFA Ferenc Puskas Award – that will be bestowed upon the player from either the men’s or women’s game judged to have scored the best goal of the year.

The winner will be unveiled at the FIFA World Player gala on Dec 12, where he or she will receive the FIFA Puskas Award trophy, with their name engraved upon it.

The Portugal international is on the shortlist for the Champions League quarterfinal goal he scored last season against Porto; a goal from 35 meters out that sent his former club Manchester United through to the semis. Voting will close at 12 noon CET on Monday 14 December.

Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka are also both FIFA Wolrd Player candidates and the last two players to win the award. Teammates Xabi Alonso, Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Karim Benzema and Pepe are among the nominees for the FIFA/FIFpro World XI.

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