Watch here. *The live stream is over*

Here is the balloon d'or winner. Congrats to Ronaldo!.

How on Earth did Ribery end up THIRD? I expected him to be 2nd. Third place for him is utter injustice.

I would have been ok with Ronaldo or Ribery winning the award anyways, they both deserved it.

Now, talking about FIFA bullshit, we have the world's "best" XI which is complete nonsense... isn't that award voted by the people from around the world? Who do I have to ask why on earth isn't Schweinsteiger in there!? There is no way reasonable people from around the world or anybody who actually watched football in 2013 think that Alves or xavi deserve to be there, to mention just a few...

And I haven't complain about this yet (considering I complain about everything FIFA related) Why was Neymar's goal in the top 3 for the Puskas award? That was also voted by everybody... I dont know anymore who takes better decisions for the awards in general, the world who votes or the FIFA designated people.

But the award for "FIFA bullshit of the year 2013" goes to Messi being 2nd and Ribery 3rd. That is not only not fair but is ridiculous. Is it just me, do any of you believe Messi deserved it more than Ribery?

It makes no sense to me why FIFA makes certain decisions, but at least Ronaldo fairly got the Ballon D'or.

The Uefa president and former winner of the award believes Franck Ribery's failure to land the 2013 prize proves team success is no longer taken into account for the nominees

Uefa president Michel Platini believes the Ballon d'Or has suffered a change for the worse since Fifa took charge of the prize.

Cristiano Ronaldo was named the 2013 winner on Monday ahead of Lionel Messi and Franck Ribery - the second time he has lifted the trophy in total, but only the first since the merger of France Football's prize and the Fifa World Player of the Year award.

Although Platini feels Ronaldo was a worthy recipient, he believes Ribery's failure to be named the winner after leading Bayern Munich to an historic treble in 2013 proves that team successes are no longer taken into account when votes for the prize are cast.

"Ronaldo is a beautiful Ballon d'Or winner, but I am very disappointed for Franck Ribery," he told L'Equipe 21.

"Seriously, next year or the next again, it will come back to Messi or Ronaldo again. For 50 years, I think the Ballon d'Or took into account results and titles and this is no longer the case.

"I think if Franck didn't win it in the year when he won all the titles, there is a problem, as was the case with the Spanish players in 2010.

"There is something that has changed in the Ballon d'Or since it went to Fifa."

Platini himself won the award on three consecutive occasions from 1983-85.

Never let it be said that Barcelona are anything short of a fantastic footballing identity. They have my utmost respect with this post.

No, just NO Tuanis. Complaining about Ribery 3rd place is non sense.
Ribery is the best 2013 player no doubt, winning everything possible for a player to win. But in term of stats and potential. If we put Ronaldo first then Messi is logically second. or we put Ribery first then ronaldo second and Messi 3rd.
Puting Ronaldo 1st, and Ribery seond is just non sence. There is no criteria or way of thinking that can put this specific order.
The best potential and best scorer is the winner, that means that silverware doesnt mean that much for Fifa and then Messi is the legitimate 2nd.

Fifa reported the ballon d' Or elections, because they wanted to be sure that Ronaldo will win it, because the threat to see Messi win the award which would be completely biaised and non sence, but the threat existed considering the fact that he was injured and more respected by other players who are voting.
The rules needs to be changed because we will have every year a Messi/Ronaldo duel, i expect Messi getting the next Ballon d' Or no matter who will win CL or World cup and its annoying.
It seems that Fifa is trying to write their own history of football including only Messi/Ronaldo duel and Sneider/Iniesta and Ribery are the victims of those rules...
But lets be honest, if Messi has 4 Ballon d' Or then Ronaldo deserves at least a second. Fifa gave it to Messi in 2010, when Iniesta/Sneider deserved it. They couldnt give it to someone else this year even if Blatter and Platini in their mind prefered to see someone else than Ronaldo.
Im really happy for him as i was for Messi for 2010, but how long this injustice toward other players will last ?

Imagine if Ribery won it, Sneider/Inesta would complain because with this logic Messi would have never won it in 2010. Then Ronaldo fans will see the same thing and would complain to Fifa, they couldnt give it to Messi because he was injured at key games and the start of this year season. Thats why they were obliged to report the elections hoping that Ronaldo will win some points and avoid them embarrassment at the end of the BDO ceremony.

Fifa said that the report didnt affect the result : That means 2 things : they had decided whos gonna win it before the end of elections, and it really affected the result because they would not talk about it.
The 2010 mistake affected this year ballon d\' Or, i dont like the fact Fifa has the actual power of influence for the result and i dont like the actual rule who are a big joke.

Xavi was awful in the second part of the year, Alves was not that good too. I dont understand their presence in the top XI, Messi and Iniesta deserved their award. I would put Yaya Toure and Lahm instead of Xavi/Alves.
Those actual Ballon d\' Or rewards are only about politics and i hate that even for a Messi fan. Thats not fair for other players.

I understand your point but I just think that the only factor to consider for this is the individuality. It is a very shallow award when you give it to the one who scores the most goals even though those goals meant nothing to the team, in other words didnt contribute to much team success (trophies). I said Ronaldo deserved it according to what is expected about this award, the thing is I just dont like it that way, this should be an award that considers a little more the IMPORTANCE OF THE PLAYER'S INDIVIDUALITY.
There is already an award for the best goalscorer in Europe, there is no place for any other player who is not a striker and that shouldn't be.

Canavaro won it because he won the world cup and Sneidjer and Iniesta never complained. It used to be a different kind of award. I wouldnt see any problem with Ribery being 2nd and Messi 3rd because I believe not all the people who vote follow the same criteria in order to decide who to vote for.

"Canavaro won it because he won the world cup and Sneidjer and Iniesta never complained."

Exactly. It used to mean achievement, not just stats.

I jut want to create some discussion so Ill say who I think should have won the Ballon D'or in previous seasons:

Even though I dont think 2006 should have been given to Cannavaro precisely I would let that one alone.

2007 Kaka
2008 C. Ronaldo
2009 Messi
2010 Sneidjer
2011 Casillas
2012 Messi (not a year where any specific player stood out significantly)
2013 Ribery

It confuses me a lot that the award is given for the year performance and not the season so Ill try to explain myself better:

2006-2007: Kaka
2007-2008" C. Ronaldo
2008-2009: Messi
2009-2010: Sneidjer
2010-2011: Casillas
2011-2012: Messi
2012-2013: Ribery

Im not sure if both list match but what I mean is expressed in the season winners' list.

some comments to clarify/justify my thoughts: Winning a treble should put the most important player of the team as a winner for sure. Winning a world cup beats every other achievement you can ever get in football, even the treble so in that case the same applies, the winner team's MVP should get the award. I think Casillas was the best and most valuable player for Spain.

@Tuanis

Don't know what Casillas is doing in that list. I'll tell you first hand, there was only one person who deserved 2011 Ballon d'Or, and it was Lionel Messi.

^^ What Dynast said. I like the rest of your list, though, Tuanis.

I cringed so hard when he started crying. Cristiano has always been about individual awards. The real Ronaldo is Brazilian and he is retired. Enjoy your meaningless award Cris.

I always get that sort of comments when I say Casillas deserved a Ballon D'or after the world cup but that ok, I stand by it, Messi did great as well.

... and Wolfie, enjoy your meaningless troll comment :) Im sure Ronaldo and everyone else cares a lot about it.

^ Oh look, a man u cristina fan girl. Why dont you concentrate on your own sheeple comments you generic thumb *****. Yes, continue to say what everyone wants to hear. You are about as interesting as a wet carrot.

@Tuanis

I thought you were a moderator. Can't you remove his offensive comments? :/

^ Wtf, how is it offensive! I'm entitled to my own opinion. He should remove his own comment for throwing around the T word and thumbing up his own comment. Yes, there is no way after you post a comment 30 seconds later you have a thumb up. It is really sad and pathetic. Hey dyna, you mad because you know what I said is true. I said it here before many times and you called me a crissy boy hater. Watch, this year real will not win la liga or CL. Cris will be a flop at WC too. You'll soon ran out of excuses and just have to accept it. :/

@Wolfie

Interesting. First you hate on Lodatz because Spurs *ahem* knocked you out of the EL (a pathetically easy competition to win), but now you seem to be hating on Real Madrid. Is it because of this?

Sorry mate, don't blame others if your team doesn't make it to Europe. Even if Real Madrid don't win La Liga or the CL, they'll still be ten times better than your Inter Milan team, so I can take some pride in that. Goodnight. :)

I know you and Lod a besties. If you look closely, lod is trying to antagonize me with (taxi for maicon) Ohh, you must have missed that. Your eyes are very selective. Now you post a meaningless friendly game. Damn.. You know what I like about Real.. They go around and buy all the best players from every team around the world and they break their footballing spirit. But on the bright side, other teams get great bargains and a player with more determination than ever to succeed, Like Makelele to Chelsea, Sneijder to Inter, Robben to Bayern, Özil to Arsenal etc etc.. So for that, we all must thank Real. :)

@Tuanis World cup was in 2010, so if you want Cassillas to win it, it will be in 2010. In 2011, there was no world cup and Messi was CL, La liga and supercopa winner + Best scorer and best assister. So there is clearly no debate about that year.

So my list would be :

2007 - Kaka
2008 - Ronaldo
2009 - Messi
2010 - Iniesta
2011- Messi
2012 - Messi ( If Drogba had won EPL, i would give it to him regardingless to his stats that year, just for his glorious CL. But the 3 titles of Messi and the historical goalscoring record makes me choose Messi ).
2013 - Ribery

In fact, only 2010 and 2013 annoyes me because Messi/Ronaldo are facing players wining the treble or being Mvp of the world cup, and the wining goal scorer of the final World cup.

In 2010 : Both Sneider and Iniesta deserved it.

Sneider :

• Winner of a treble.
• Leading his national team to the World cup final.

Iniesta :

• Liga winner.
• Copa winner.
• World cup of clubs winner.
• CL semi-finalist.
• World cup winner.
• Wining goal in world cup final.

Both players years were exeptionnal. But my own preference is for Iniesta.

@tiki_taka

I personally believe 2010 should be Sneijder and 2012 is iniesta (don't kill me messi fans :( ). I don't remember where I read an article somewhere but I remember iniesta saying that he had a slump during the later parts of 2009-2010. It wasn't until before world cup he said he got over the slump. Xavi also deserves some recognition so it is either Sneijder or Xavi . Sneijder should have won that year imo.

At 2011, Messi didn't play that well at Copa America (it was argentina's home too...) but he deserved it regardless because he was pretty fantastic at his club.

I personally think iniesta was great during Euro 2012. Pirlo also deserves some recognition. That was his revival season and he was outstanding for his club and country. Still,I don't have a problem with Messi winning it especially when you compare when he won it in 2010. I think he must have been the most shocked person during that year lol

Everything else I agree with Tiki_taka.