Skysports.com remembers a remarkable year to savour for the winner of the 2008 Ballon d'Or.
Skysports.com looks at a classic year for the 2008 Ballon d'Or winner
Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo added to a memorable 2008 after deservedly winning the prestigious Ballon d'Or in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
It is likely that it was only members of Merseyside and the blue half of Manchester who were willing Barcelona's Argentinean playmaker Lionel Messi to land the accolade, which was announced by France Football magazine.
The crowning of Ronaldo, already FIFPro World Player of the Year, as the first Premier League player to land the Ballon d'Or since Michael Owen in 2001 had a justifiable sense of inevitability months before the short-list of 30 candidates was announced in October.
Ronaldo was the run-away favourite to secure the award, formerly given to the European footballer of the year but now expanded to include players from all over the world, after a scintillating 12 months in which he has never been far away from the headlines.
Perhaps for the wrong reasons as far as United were concerned, Ronaldo was persistently splashed over sporting pages throughout the course of the summer as Primera Liga champions Real Madrid did their best to secure president Ramon Calderon's No.1 transfer target.
Real interest
Calderon's failed attempts to land the man from the Madeira Island of Funchal, who becomes the first United player to win the Ballon d'Or since George Best in 1968, were understandable.
The 23-year-old was instrumental in guiding United to a thrilling Premier League and UEFA Champions League Double last season, as Sir Alex Ferguson's side pipped Chelsea to the silverware, and that achievement has been rightly recognised.
Ronaldo - who joined United for £12million from Sporting Lisbon in 2003 - netted an incredible 42 goals in all competitions in the 2007/08 campaign, finishing top scorer in the Premier League (31) and Champions League (8), to set him apart from his rivals.
The Portugal winger failed to shine at Euro 2008, with the ongoing speculation surrounding his future seemingly acting as a distraction, and he missed the beginning of this season due to injury as United made a spluttering start.
Conjecture has continued to suggest that Ronaldo - who was sent off in Sunday's 1-0 Manchester derby victory at City - is unhappy at Old Trafford as a result of his body language, but he has been back to his best over recent weeks, scoring nine times since September as United have got their title defence back on track.
And the Ballon d'Or, which Ronaldo made no secret of his desire to win ever since finishing runner-up to AC Milan's Brazilian ace Kaka last year, is only likely to increase motivation levels as United attempt to protect their domestic and European crowns.
