Ballon d'Or 2016: Cristiano Ronaldo wins his fourth title ahead of rival Lionel Messi

So, Cristiano Ronaldo has moved one step closer to matching the individual achievements of Lionel Messi by claiming his fourth Ballon d'Or title this evening. 

The Real Madrid star is now just one behind Messi and will be desperate to overhaul his rival at some point in the future.

Antoine Griezmann threatened to end the pair's hegemony of the award but in the end had to settle for third place.

Thanks for following all the build-up, action and reaction to tonight's ceremony.

Have a great evening!

Cristiano Ronaldo capped a brilliant year by being crowned winner of the Ballon d'Or for a fourth time in Paris on Monday night.

The Portugal and Real Madrid forward topped the poll of 173 journalists worldwide to take home France Football magazine's coveted award.

In doing so he beat out the likes of Antoine Griezmann, Luis Suarez and perennial rival Lionel Messi.

CLICK HERE to read the full article.

As expected, Lionel Messi has been forced into second place this year, behind long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 29-year-old helped Barcelona win La Liga last season but his relative lack of success at international level has given Ronaldo the edge, following Portugal's triumph at Euro 2016.

Here are the final standings:

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal / Real Madrid) 2. Lionel Messi (Argentina / Barcelona) 3. Antoine Griezmann (France / Atletico Madrid) 4. Luis Suarez (Uruguay / Barcelona) 5. Neymar (Brazil / Barcelona) 6. Gareth Bale (Wales / Real Madrid) 7. Riyad Mahrez (Algeria / Leicester City) 8. Jamie Vardy (England / Leicester City) 9. Pepe (Portugal / Real Madrid) 9. Gianluigi Buffon (Italy / Juventus) 11. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon / Borussia Dortmund) 12. Rui Patricio (Portugal / Sporting Lisbon) 13. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden / Manchester United) 14. Arturo Vidal (Chile / Bayern Munich) 14. Paul Pogba (France / Manchester United) 16. Robert Lewandowski (Poland / Bayern Munich) 17. Dimitri Payet (France / West Ham) 17. Luka Modric (Croatia / Real Madrid) 17. Toni Kroos (Germany / Real Madrid) 

The 11 unclassified players who received no votes were Sergio Aguero, Kevin De Bruyne, Paulo Dybala, Diego Godin, Gonzalo Higuain, Andres Iniesta, Koke, Hugo Lloris, Thomas Muller, Manuel Neuer and Sergio Ramos.

Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann has been forced to settle for third place. 

There had been hopes the Frenchman could end Ronaldo and Messi's recen dominance of the Ballon d'Or.

The 25-year-old has scored 35 goals for club and country this year but has been pipped to the post by the two usual suspects. 

Neymar's team-mate at Barcelona, Luis Suarez, has been announced in fourth place. 

The Uruguayan has scored 49 goals since the start of the year and has now found the net 97 times in just 116 games since joining Barcelona from Liverpool in 2014.

Cristiano Ronaldo claimed the award alongside his son, Cristiano Ronaldo Jr, who threw in a cheeky salute and dab in front of the cameras at France Football's headquarters in Paris.

France Football have begun to announce the remaining four players who finished in fifth to second place.

Barcelona forward Neymar has come fifth as a reward for winning silverware with both his club and country this year. 

After winning La Liga with Barca, Neymar helped Brazil claim gold at their home Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Cristiano Ronaldo capped a brilliant year by being crowned winner of the Ballon d'Or for a fourth time in Paris on Monday night.

The Portugal and Real Madrid forward topped the poll of 173 journalists worldwide to take home France Football magazine's coveted award.

In doing so he beat out the likes of Antoine Griezmann, Luis Suarez and perennial rival Lionel Messi.

CLICK HERE to read the full article.

So that was certainly a strange way of announcing the winner...

We're still waiting to learn who else finished in the top five but Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Neymar and Antoine Griezmann are expected to complete the line-up, barring any major upsets. 

Here is the list so far:

1. Cristiano Ronaldo

2-5. ?

6. Gareth Bale

7. Riyad Mahrez

8. Jamie Vardy

9. Pepe

9. Gianluigi Buffon

11. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

12. Rui Patricio

13. Zlatan Ibrahimovic

14. Arturo Vidal

14. Paul Pogba

16. Robert Lewandowski

17. Toni Kroos

17. Dimitri Payet

17. Luka Modric

Cristiano Ronaldo is currently away with Real Madrid in Japan for the FIFA Club World Cup and could not be at the ceremony in Paris to accept his award. 

However, he has described his victory as a 'dream come true' in an interview with French publication L'Equipe.

‘This is, again, a dream come true. I never imagined winning this trophy four times. I'm really happy and fulfilled,' he said.

‘When it's the first time, the emotion is always special. But I I feel today like I did in 2008.’

France Football have announced Cristiano Ronaldo as the winner of this year's Ballon d'Or.

Real Madrid team-mate Gareth Bale was announced in sixth place just moments ago but the Paris-based publication have jumped straight to announcing Ronaldo as winner.

Slightly baffling but stick with us as we find out who else finished in the top five.

Vardy's team-mate at Leicester, Riyad Mahrez, has gone one better than the England star and finished in ninth place.

The Algeria international wowed fans with his technique last season - notching 16 league goals as Claudio Ranieri's side romped to the Premier League title. 

Mahrez was also announced as the winner of this year's BBC African Footballer of the Year earlier today. 

Jamie Vardy's remarkable year continues with an ninth-place finish in the Ballon d'Or awards. 

The England international shocked world football by firing Leicester to the Premier League title against all odds last season. 

Barring any major shocks, Vardy should finish as the highest ranked English player in this year's awards.

This year Pepe has proved he is much more than just a pantomime villain.

Matching the achievements of Cristiano Ronaldo, the experience defender has won both the Champions League and Euro 2016 over the course of the last 12 months.

Veteran goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is the oldest player to be included on France Football's 30-man shortlist for the Ballon d'Or at 38 years old.

However, the Juventus shot-stopper has shown no signs of decline - helping Juventus claim a fifth consecutive Serie A title earlier this year. 

Buffon remains Italy's first-choice goalkeeper and captained his side at Euro 2016, where the Azzurri were eventually beaten by Germany on penalties. 

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has finished in 11th place after winning seven voting points. 

The Gabon international has scored 19 goals in 20 games for Borussia Dortmund this season and has been linked with a big-money move to Real Madrid.

Ronaldo's international team-mate Rui Patricio has finished in a perhaps surprising 12th place. 

The experienced goalkeeper helped Portugal's ageing defence keep clean-sheets in both the semi-final and final of Euro 2016 as Fernando Santos' side claimed a remarkable victory over France.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the odds-on favourite to claim this year's award following his remarkable year with both Real Madrid and Portugal. 

The 31-year-old helped Madrid to their record 11th European Cup with victory over cross-city rivals Atletico Madrid. 

However, his greatest achievement of the year, and arguably his whole career, was leading Portugal to a shock triumph at Euro 2016.

Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the second Red Devils player to make the list, after Paul Pogba. 

Zlatan helped Paris Saint-Germain to the French title last season before joining Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford this summer

The former Sweden international has now finished in the top 20 of Ballon d'Or voting on 11 occasions with his best finish coming back in 2013 when he came fourth.

Cristiano Ronaldo remains the strong favourite to win the Ballon d'Or after helping both Real Madrid and Portugal to major silverware this year.

Ronaldo is set to go head-to-head with Lionel Messi for the award of European football's finest player, though a leaked image from France Football magazine suggests the decision has already been made.

What is claimed to be the cover of the bi-weekly publication appears to show a suited-and-booted Ronaldo, evidently overjoyed while clutching the prestigious award.

CLICK HERE to read the full story.

Pogba's former team-mate at Juventus, Arturo Vidal, has also finished in 14th place after winning four voting points. 

The tenacious midfielder helped Chile claim their second consecutive Copa America title earlier this year.

The most expensive player in the history of football, Paul Pogba, has come in joint 14th place after receiving four voting points.

The Manchester United midfielder, who has enjoyed a rocky start to life back at Old Trafford, impressed while at Juventus last season and helped France finish as runners-up at Euro 2016. 

He finished 15th in last year's awards and will be no doubt targeting a top 10 finish when they come round again next year.

This year's Ballon d'Or will be awarded by respected sports journalists from across Europe.

Each journalist will pick their top three players in order of preference, where first pick get five points, second pick three points and the third gets one point.

Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski is next on the list, having been awarded three points by the journalists awarding this year's Ballon d'Or.

The Poland international scored 42 goals in 51 appearances for his club last season as Bayern claimed both the Bundesliga title and the German Cup.

The third player to be named in joint 17th place is West Ham winger Dimitri Payet. 

The 29-year-old has enjoyed a sensational year for club and country and helped guide host nation France to the final of Euro 2016, where they suffered heartbreak against Portugal.

He has developed a reputation for spectacular free-kicks and continued that trend with a set-piece goal against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday.

Kroos' Real Madrid team-mate Luka Modric has also been announced in 17th with one vote.

The 31-year-old has become an integral part of Madrid's midfielder since joining the club from Tottenham back in 2012. 

He also captained his country, Croatia, at Euro 2016 where Ante Cacic's side finished top of their group ahead of Spain. 

Croatia were knocked out of the tournament by eventual winners Portugal.

France Football will announce each player from their original 30-man shortlist in ascending order based on the number of votes awarded to them.

Real Madrid and Germany midfielder Toni Kroos has already been announced in 17th place with just one vote.

11 players on the original shortlist have not received a single vote and will not be classified. Their identities are being withheld at the moment and will be revealed later on this evening. 

As previously stated, this year's ceremony is a change from previous years with the Ballon d'Or no longer associated with FIFA.

Instead, FIFA will announce their own Player of the Year in January.

CLICK HERE to read up on the history of the two awards, their brief merger and subsequent split. 

Hello and welcome to Sportsmail's coverage of this year's Ballon d'Or ceremony. Familiar faces Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are once again in contention for the award, as is Luis Suarez and Antoine Griezmann. 

This year will be the first time since 2009 that the award has not been associated with FIFA and, as such, there will be a change of format to previous years. 

Instead of naming a three-man shortlist, France Football will countdown the original 30-man shortlist based on a number of votes they were given by journalists.

Can Ronaldo claim his fourth Ballon d'Or, will Messi extend his record to six titles or are we in for a shock? Follow all the action with myself Rory O'Callaghan as we build-up to tonight's award...