The best man won. This has been Cristiano Ronaldo's year, a 12-month carnival of extraordinary forward play. It has been so good, even the man who doesn't like him had to admit it. 'Yes, it was justified,' Lionel Messi noted through gritted teeth. 'It was deserved.' Much is made of the tensions that exist between Ronaldo and Messi but this is not a rivalry to promote something. This antipathy is genuine and was evident from the moment they walked into a cavernous room in Zurich's Kongresshaus for a pre-ceremony conference. VIDEO Scroll down for Cristiano Ronaldo wins the 2015 Ballon d'Or
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Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo attended Monday's Ballon d'Or Gala
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Ronaldo has been crowned the 2014 Ballon d'Or winner
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Messi and Manuel Neuer made up the three-man shortlist
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The trio were all included in the FIFPro World Team of the Year
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Click here for the action as it unfolded
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James Rodriguez wins Puskas Award prize for his spectacular volley
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Joachim Low scoops FIFA World Coach of the Year award
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FIFA Team of the Year: FIFPro World XI includes  Angel di Maria
37.7 per cent of the votes went to Ronaldo - a figure double the amount of Messi and @placeholder