Christiano Ronaldo Bags The Hat-Trick

The award of the FIFA Player of the Year trophy means that Manchester United's Christiano Ronaldo holds all three of the world individual prizes for the sport, based around three different voting groups.

The FIFA award came into being back in 1991 and it is based on the opinions of national coaches and captains. Ronaldo is the first Premiership based player to be honoured.

The Portuguese star also holds the even newer Fifpro award, voted by players who are members of the international player's association. This has only been in existence since 2005 and every winner so far has been a Portuguese speaker- Ronaldinho (twice), Kaka and now Ronaldo.

He also holds the venerable original - the European Footballer of the Year or 'Golden Ball'. For many years this has been open to non-Europeans playing in Europe, so it is a global trophy too. It was first awarded in 1955.

This differs from the other two as it's in the gift of senior journalists from the Continent's leading newspapers and magazines but they came to the same conclusion as the players and coaches.

Ronaldo's stellar 2007/08 campaign did much to ruin Chelsea's hopes but there is a crumb of consolation for the Blues. Since 2005 the Fifpro players have also picked their World XI and John Terry is the only man who has been in all four selections.