Cristiano Ronaldo crowns third FIFA Ballon d'Or award

Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, holds his World Player of the Year trophy as he stands next to FIFA President Sepp Blatter (R) during the FIFA Ballon d'Or 2014 soccer awards ceremony at the Kongresshaus in Zurich January 12, 2015.[Photo/Agencies]

ZURICH - Cristiano Ronaldo has been awarded the FIFA Ballon d'Or award following a shining and convincing performance in 2014, the Federation International de Football Association(FIFA)Monday night unveiled in Zurich.

The Real Madrid striker scored 61 goals in 60 games for his club last year, captaining the team to win the Champions League, the Club World Cup, the European Super Cup, as well as the Copa del Rey.

The 29-year-old Portuguese, who won the award in 2008 and 2013, defeated Barcelona's Lionel Mess and German goal-keeper Manuel Neuer, who helped Germany to win the FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Ronaldo claimed the award with a total of 37.66 percent of votes, ahead of Messi (15.76 percent) and Neuer ( 15.72 percent), voted by national team captains, coaches plus selected journalists in FIFA's 209 members.

"It has been an incredible year," Ronaldo emotionally said in the award ceremony.

The Germany national team's coach Joachim Low, who led Germany to a deserved triumph at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, was awarded as the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Men‘s Football 2014.

For women's side, Women's Ballon d'Or went to Nadine Kessler. The 26-year-old, from Germany's Wolfsburg club, helped her team to win German title and UEFA Champions League titles last year. Her club's coach, Ralf Kellermann, also received the FIFA Women's Coach of the Year.

In addition, James Rodriguez's opening goal for Colombia against Uruguay at the Maracana in the Round of 16 at Brazil 2014 has been chosen as the best goal of 2014.