Ronaldo keen to improve

2nd December 2008

Cristiano Ronaldo hailed "one of the most beautiful days of my life" and vowed to keep improving after winning the prestigious Ballon d'Or award.

The Manchester United winger was named as 2007 winner Kaka's successor after convincingly seeing off competition from Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Liverpool striker Fernando Torres.

Of the 96 top journalists polled by France Football magazine, 77 voted the Portugal winger as their number one player this year and every one placed him in their top five after he scored 42 goals in United's Barclays Premier League and Champions League winning season.

Speaking to www.francefootball.fr, Ronaldo said: "It is one of the most beautiful days of my life. To gain this trophy is something I dreamed of as a child. Great emotion fills me but I cannot really describe it.

"I want to thank those who voted for me, those who know me and those who live with me. I was not worried, because I was aware of what I did in the course of the season. But to the people who mentioned my name, I say thank you. Thank you also to my team-mates.

"This (trophy) is one that I want to win again because it is so good. Therefore, I will wake and I will say to myself `I want to be even better'."