Cristiano Ronaldo hoists the FIFA Ballon d'Or for the second time in his career, ending Lionel Messi's four-year run.

Cristiano Ronaldo hoists the FIFA
Ballon d'Or for the second time in
his career, ending Lionel Messi's
four-year run.
Steffen Schmidt/Keystone/AP
ZURICH (AP) - Cristiano Ronaldo has
won the FIFA Ballon d'Or award for
2013, ending Lionel Messi's four-year
run as the world's best player.
Ronaldo scored 69 goals for Real
Madrid and Portugal last year, and his
stunning hat trick against Sweden in a
decisive World Cup playoff was
perhaps the defining individual
performance.
''There are no words to describe this
moment,'' said Ronaldo, who was
sobbing in tears after he accepting the
trophy with his young son, also
named Cristiano, beside him on
stage.
LYTTLETON: Ronaldo win Ballon
d'Or, a prestigious, yet checkered
prize
He beat out Barcelona's Messi and
France winger Franck Ribery, who
helped Bayern Munich to a sweep of
major titles.
Germany dominated the other major
trophies, with goalkeeper Nadine
Angerer getting the women's award
ahead of United States forward Abby
Wambach, last year's winner, and
Marta of Brazil.