PHOTOS: See how the top 20 finalists for the 2016 Ballon d’Or ranked

Portugal and Madrid superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo is this year's Ballon d'Or winner. With an extensive shortlist though, France
Football selected 20 finalists for the award. Here is how they shake out by their vote totals, in order
.

17 (Tied) - Luka Modric

The versatile Madrid and Croatia midfielder anchors the start of the list, he's tied at number 17.

17 (Tied) - Toni Kroos

Germany's midfielder, Toni Kroos stands alongside his Real Madrid teammate Luca Modric, tied for 17th place.

17 (Tied) - Dimitri Payet

West Ham's  attacking midfielder Dimitri Payet completes the triplet following an incredible season for the Hammers in the EPL and the French national team.

16 - Robert Lewandowski

Bayern Munich striker Lewandowski gets goals however they come. The Polish striker was ranked 16th on France Football's list.

15 - Paul Pogba

Paul Pogba is settling in nicely at Manchester United, and he falls very respectably in at number 15 on the list. 

14 - Arturo Vidal

Bayern Munich's dynamic midfielder won himself a second straight Copa America title and earned his spot at number 14 on the shortlist.

13 - Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan came 13th spot on the list mainly through his exploits with Paris Saint-Germain, but he will accept the ranking as a Manchester United player.

12 - Rui Patricio

Rui Patricio was the man between the sticks to make sure Portugal wins their first ever European Championship. The Sporting Lisbon man earns 12th position on the strength of that performance.

11 - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Borussia Dortmund's hitman may be the paciest striker in the world, but the Gabonese forward races into 11th position on the France Football list.

10 - Gianluigi Buffon

Juventus' legendary keeper Gigi Buffon undoubtedly deserve a place in the list at any given time, he came10th on the list, the highest ever placed goalkeeper in the rankings.

9 - Pepe

Real Madrid's defender/destroyer Pepe slides in at 9th spot after helping marshall the back line that earned his club side the UEFA Champions League and  European Championship for Portugal.

8 - Jamie Vardy

His goals helped Leicester City win the most improbable EPL league title of all time, and he earns an 8th place on France Football's list for that fact.

7 - Riyad Mahrez

The 2016 BBC's African Footballer of the Year, Leicester's silky smooth Algerian winger floats past most of the world into 7th position on the list.

6 - Gareth Bale

Unfortunately injured at the moment, but Real Madrid's big Welshman won a Champions League with the club and almost singlehandedly carried his country Wales to the Euro 2016 semi-final. A well-deserved position.

5 - Neymar

Neymar lead Brazil to their first ever Olympic football go medal, and was in a devastating form alongside the other two members of Barcelona's MSN trident. He earned his spot in the top five by virtue of some of the most outstanding performances anyone put in all year.

4 - Luis Suarez

There's no better striker currently than Luis Suarez. He had to watch Uruguay go out of Copa America as he agonized from the bench with an injury, but he brought it at the club level, scoring most goals like they were on year-end clearance sale.

3 - Antoine Griezmann

The year 2016 was a season of "almost but not quite" for Griezmann. The Frenchman almost had the best year of any individual player, Griezmann almost won the Champions League title, and he almost won the European Championship. It wasn't to be for any of those trophies though, but he settles in at 3rd position for the Ballon d'Or ranking.

2 - Lionel Messi

Barcelona's living legend, Leo Messi did many Leo Messi things in 2016, but he couldn't drag his national team Argentina to a Copa America win, and he'll have to settle for 2nd on the Ballon d'Or list.

1 - Cristiano Ronaldo

Take Portugal's first European Championship and add it to Ronaldo's third Champions League trophy, and it equals his fourth Ballon d'Or. Pretty simple math.