LONDON:  Cristiano Ronaldo has been voted World Player of the Year for the fifth time in the annual review organised by London magazine World Soccer, the longest-running such poll which was launched in 1982.

The Real Madrid and Portugal superstar won the fourth time in five years ahead of Lionel Messi (Argentina and Barcelona) and Neymar (Brazil and Paris Saint-Germain). He first won it in 2008.

In a clean sweep for the world, European and Spanish champions Zinedine Zidane was voted Manager of the Year with Real Madrid taking the Team of the Year prize.

Zidane won the manager title ahead of Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola and Brazil’s Tite.

Among other such awards, The FIFA world player poll was launched in 1990 and France Football did not expand its European Footballer of the Year prize,  created in 1956, until the mid-1990s.

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