Despite a disappointing World Cup campaign, Cristiano Ronaldo's excellent season with his club has earned him Goal.com's award as best footballer on the planet.

Each year, football website Goal.com announces its list of the top 50 footballers in the game today, and ever since they began drumming up who would be on their list for this year, the feeling was that a familiar duo would battle it out for top spot.

Last year, Lionel Messi walked away with the prize as well as clinched his fourth Ballon d'Or, but this season has not been as favorable to the Barca ace, despite winning the Golden Ball at this summer's World Cup after making it to the final with Argentina.

Not surprisingly, Cristiano Ronaldo, after a fantastic season with Real Madrid that saw him set a new personal record and become the all-time top scorer in a Champions League campaign in the tournament's history, has unseated his perpetual rival to win the prize.

And although he did not enjoy success at the World Cup as captain of Portugal, he nonetheless also won the award that he he had been coveting since his first win in 2008--the Ballon d'Or.

Top of the world: Goal.com's 2014 winner of the Top 50, Real Madrid's star attacker Cristiano Ronaldo (photo courtesy of Goal.com)

While CR7 finishing top certainly is not a surprise, followed by Bayern's Arjen Robben and Messi, some of the players that did make the top 10 might be a bit of a surprise. New Real Madrid signing James Rodriguez, who had a decent debut season with Monaco followed by arguably being one of the brighest stars of the World Cup is ranked 6th, ahead of prolific attacker Luis Suarez.

There are no Brazilians in the top echelon, or even the top half, perhaps due to their shocking display during the latter stages of the World Cup in which they were outscored 10-1 by Germany and the Netherlands.

Neymar, who was ranked 30th, is the only Brazilian (unless if you count newly-minted Spanish international Diego Costa) in this list

 

Here's the players who were in the top 10:

1. Cristiano Ronaldo

2. Arjen Robben

3. Lionel Messi

4. Philipp Lahm

5. Thomas Muller

6. James Rodriguez

7. Luis Suarez

8. Thiabut Courtois

9. Arturo Vidal

10. Sergio Ramos