The Portugal winger was runner-up to Kaka in the Ballon D'or last year and, after scoring an extraordinary 42 goals to help propel Manchester United to the Champions League and Premier League double, was untouchable in the race for this year's award.
For all the diving, the theatrics, the exaggeration, the "what me?" shrugs and the Real Madrid transfer shenanigans, Ronaldo's most important contribution to the game is his quite extraordinary array of talents.
Ronaldo's return last season of 42 in 49 games was astonishing. The haul contained goals of all sorts, dead-eye free kicks, calm one-on-one finishes, "right-place, right-time" tap-ins and a number of towering headers.
United manager Alex Ferguson said his heading ability should be compared with the true giants of the art such as Tommy Lawton and Tony Hateley and says critics of Ronaldo's diving should look at the punishment he takes.
"All these great players over the years, the Maradonas, Cruyffs, Peles -- they all took a kick. It didn't deter them at all," Ferguson said last week.
"Cristiano has a similar thing. He had an operation in the summer, which was the result of consistent tackling on him, but he's naturally brave."
Ronaldo was also voted the best player in England by his peers, journalists and fans across all clubs for two seasons in a row, despite the uncomfortable memory of his sneaky role in Wayne Rooney's red card at the 2006 World Cup.
His critics say he has yet to become a big enough influence for Portugal, or even United, in the biggest games but it was he who scored his team's goal in the Champions League final against Chelsea last season.
