By Bertrand Boucey and Julien Pretot
PARIS, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Manchester United and Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo was awarded the Ballon d'Or on Tuesday after inspiring the English club to the Champions League and Premier League double this year.
"It's one of the most beautiful days in my life. I've been dreaming of this trophy since I was a child," Ronaldo, who will be officially presented with the award during a French TV show on Sunday, told France Football.
"I was not scared (of not winning the award) because I was aware of what I had done in the season," Ronaldo added.
"Thank you to my team mates, who helped me to be the best, thank you to those who set me up for these goals.
"I will now work to be good on Saturday. This morning, arriving at the training session, I will be the same lad. What is sure is that I want to win again because it is so good."
"We are very proud. Manchester United had been waiting for this for 40 years. Cristiano is in the tradition of our three other Ballons d'Or. His award is beyond all possible dispute," Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson told France Football.
"He is only 23 years old. His best years are ahead of him. In life, you have two categories of people. Those who reach their goal and go to bed saying to themselves 'I made it' and the other ones, who are driven by will, desire.
"These ones, when they win the trophy, they say to themselves 'I go on'... Ronaldo has that sparkle in himself."
Earlier this year, the Portugal winger also became only the second player after Thierry Henry to win England's Footballer of the Year award in successive seasons.
However, he failed to make an impact at this year's European Championship in Austria and Switzerland as Portugal bowed out to eventual runners-up Germany in the quarter-finals.
European champions Spain had four players in the poll's top 10, with Torres, Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas and Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez in third, fourth and fifth place respectively.
