Cristiano Ronaldo won the 2014 FIFA Ballon d'Or, which was his second consecutive win of this prestigious award (he had also won it in 2013). At the time, he was playing for Real Madrid.
The award recognized his exceptional performance throughout 2014, during which he scored numerous goals and played a crucial role for both his club and the Portuguese national team.
The other finalists that year included Lionel Messi and Manuel Neuer, but Ronaldo received the most votes from national team captains, coaches, and selected journalists.
The Ballon d'Or (Golden Ball) is considered one of the most prestigious individual honors in football, recognizing the best player in the world for that particular year.