Although Cristiano Ronaldo missed out on this year's Golden Ball, the Juventus superstar still equalled an impressive Ballon d'Or record held by longstanding rival Lionel Messi.
Click through the mini-gallery above to see the top six in this year's Ballon d'Or ranking.
The Portuguese superstar finished in second place behind 2018 winner Luka Modric, while Messi ended up in fifth place only.
The Argentine's drop from second into fifth saw him finish outside the top three for the first time since 2006, when he came 20th.
Ronaldo, meanwhile, collected his 11th spot on the podium, equalling the record held by Messi, who had been among the Ballon d'Or top three for the past 11 successive years.
Both superstars have won the prestigious Golden Ball five times, with Ronaldo lifting it in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017, while Messi claimed it in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015.
Here is a full history of Ronaldo and Messi's Ballon d'Or finishes:
|
Year |
Ronaldo |
Messi |
|
2004 |
12 |
Not nominated |
|
2005 |
20 |
Not nominated |
|
2006 |
14 |
20 |
|
2007 |
2 |
3 |
|
2008 |
winner |
2 |
|
2009 |
2 |
winner |
|
2010 |
6 |
winner |
|
2011 |
2 |
winner |
|
2012 |
2 |
winner |
|
2013 |
winner |
2 |
|
2014 |
winner |
2 |
|
2015 |
2 |
winner |
|
2016 |
winner |
2 |
|
2017 |
winner |
2 |
|
2018 |
2 |
5 |
Read: Final 2018 Ballon d'Or Ranking Revealed, Messi Only Fifth
Do you think either Ronaldo or Messi could still add another Ballon d'Or to their trophy cabinet? Have your say in the comments section below.
