Lionel Messi has again failed to make the top three in the Goal 50, with the Barcelona ace finishing in fourth place for the second consecutive year.
As a result, the Real Madrid superstar now has five Goal 50 awards, moving him one clear of Messi, who last lifted the trophy in 2015.
Gianluigi Buffon racked up his highest-ever Goal 50 finish to claim second place, after leading Juventus to another domestic double last season, as well as the final of the Champions League.
Ronaldo's club-mate Luka Modric also claimed a career-best third place, reward for his masterful performances in the Madrid midfield as Zinedine Zidane's men won both the European Cup and La Liga in the same campaign for the first time since 1958.
Ronaldo, of course, was pivotal in that regard, netting 42 times in 46 appearances in all competitions. However, while the only major trophy that Messi managed to win last season was the Copa del Rey, he did outscore his great rival.
Messi scored 54 goals in just 52 games and, given that he has made a sensational start to the current campaign, the 30-year-old would appear well placed to break back into the Goal 50 top three next season.
The Goal 50, which was conceived in 2008, is voted on by chief editors and correspondents from Goal's 37 editions around the world, with candidates judged on their level of consistency over the previous year of action, their big-game performances, footballing legacy and the success of their teams at both club and international level.