CRISTIANO Ronaldo has scooped the 2007 Footballer of the Year award to complete a sensational clean sweep of soccer's top personal honours.

The Football Writers' prestigious prize has been won with a landslide success by the 22-year-old.

United winger Ronaldo ran away with the votes, leaving his nearest rival, Chelsea's striker Didier Drogba, trailing in his wake.

Old Trafford colleagues Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs were among those who picked up votes.

Ronaldo had already collected a double with the PFA Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year titles.

It is the first time in history that all three coveted awards have gone to one player.

The last time the PFA double was done was by Andy Gray when he was at Aston Villa in 1977.

However, that season the soccer journalists voted for Liverpool captain Emlyn Hughes.

Statuette

Ronaldo will receive the famous prized statuette at the Football Writers' glittering dinner at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on May 17, two days before United's FA Cup final Wembley date with Chelsea.

It's a timely eve-of-derby tonic for Ronaldo, whose fantastic campaign ground to a halt in Milan.

But his subdued night in Italy apart, it has been a memorable season for the Madeiran following the trauma of his World Cup incident with Wayne Rooney and the speculation of a move to Real Madrid.

United have been rewarded with a campaign that has seen Ronaldo so far hit a personal best of 22 goals as well as consistently tormenting opponents with a more mature game.

Ronaldo joins an elite band of Old Trafford winners since the Footballer of the Year prize was first presented to Stanley Matthews in 1948.

Old Trafford's roll call of winners began 12 months later in 1949 when Reds' captain Johnny Carey was voted the best player.

United had two successes in the 60s with Bobby Charlton in 1966 and George Best in 1968, but the next to be honoured was 28 years later when Eric Cantona won in 1996.

Roy Keane won the 2000 award and Teddy Sheringham followed up with a success in 2001.

Since Sheringham's victory, Arsenal have dominated with four successes and Chelsea one.

Do you think Ronaldo will help United to derby victory? Have your say.