Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi did not vote for one another in Ballon d'Or 2013

Real Madrid attacker does not rate his Barcelona rival as among the three best players in the world, and it seems the feeling is mutual.

In the final analysis, it seems as if the best man won. A relieved and emotional Cristiano Ronaldo took to the stage to receive his prize thus denying rival Lionel Messi a record fourth straight Ballon d'Or.

Real enemies: Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi during Ballon d'Or Ceremony

With Messi injured in 2013, Ronaldo banged in goals at a furious pace for Real Madrid and single-handedly helped Portugal into the World Cup finals with a remarkable performance in the play-off against Sweden. In 59 games for club and country in 2013, he scored 69 goals.

But the voting was close. Ronaldo took 27.99 per cent of the votes, against 24.72 per cent for Messi and 23.39 per cent for Bayern Munich striker Franck Ribéry.

The voting system awarded five points to first choice, three to second and one to third. Each captain and manager of a Fifa member nation is given one vote as is one media representative from each country. Telegraph Sport's Henry Winter, England's sole media representative, voted for Ribéry Messi, and Ronaldo in that order.

Unsurprisingly neither Messi nor Ronaldo voted for each other. Tactically-aware Ronaldo, who couldn't vote for himself, selected Monaco's Colombian striker Radamel Falcao as number one, (as did the skippers of Ecuador and Colombia) his team-mate at Real Madrid Gareth Bale and Arsenal playmaker Mesut Özil.

                                                                                                                                         - telegraph.co.uk