Cristiano Ronaldo may rarely be the favourite in a popularity contest but the facts don't lie and, despite Barcelona's trophy haul, it was Real Madrid's goal king supreme who shone brightest in 2015.

By it's very nature the Ballon d'Or was created to reward outstanding individual achievement, not merely a cherry on the top of the cake for those who won the most trophies in the previous 12 months.

Ronaldo was rightly crowned the world's best for a third time last year just months after Germany won the World Cup. Lionel Messi beat off Barca team-mates Xavi and Andres Iniesta after Spain had done the same four years previously, and won his last Ballon d'Or after Madrid had won the league in 2012 thanks to an extraordinary scoring record of the like Ronaldo produced last year.

Ahead of the awards, he posted an image of himself standing outside an airport, ready to fly to Zurich  ahead of the Ballon d'Or ceremony.