en.malanginspirasi.com – In a fan-driven poll launched by France Football and UEFA to mark the Ballon d’Or’s 70th anniversary, Cristiano Ronaldo’s breakthrough 2008 campaign with Manchester United has been voted the greatest Ballon d’Or Of All Time (BOAT).
The Portuguese star edged out longtime rival Lionel Messi, whose record-breaking 2012 season finished second.
The new BOAT category, sometimes styled as a playful nod to the GOAT debate—was open only to players who had won the award at least twice.
Fans voted for specific winning seasons rather than entire careers.
Voting ran from early October and closed on October 27, 2026, with each ballot costing €1 and multiple votes permitted.
Participants entered a draw for tickets to the 2027 ceremony. The Final Top Rankings are:
- Cristiano Ronaldo – 2008
- Lionel Messi – 2012
- Cristiano Ronaldo – 2017
- Lionel Messi – 2023
- Cristiano Ronaldo – 2016
Ronaldo and Messi dominated the list, occupying the entire top 12 places.
Other multi-time winners such as Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini, Marco van Basten, Ronaldo Nazário, Franz Beckenbauer and others finished further down.
Also Read:
Cristiano Ronaldo Named to Squad of Portugal for Nations League at 41
Ronaldo’s 2007-08 season remains one of the most complete individual campaigns in modern football history.
Playing under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United, the then-23-year-old scored 42 goals in all competitions, claimed the Premier League Golden Boot with 31 league goals, won the European Golden Shoe, and helped the Red Devils secure both the Premier League title and the UEFA Champions League (scoring in the Moscow final against Chelsea).
That form earned him his first Ballon d’Or, the start of a five-trophy collection (2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017).
Messi’s second-placed 2012 season is equally legendary: the Argentine scored an astonishing 91 goals across club and country in the calendar year while starring for Barcelona.
His later 2023 triumph, which followed Argentina’s World Cup win, placed fourth.
The BOAT . is a special fan-voted honor rather than an official addition to the traditional Ballon d’Or count.
It does not come with a physical trophy equivalent to the main award and does not alter official tallies (Messi remains on eight Ballons d’Or; Ronaldo on five).
Organizers introduced it as a celebratory initiative for the prize’s anniversary.
Harry Kane of Bayern Munich and England won the 2026 men’s Ballon d’Or itself at the London Palladium ceremony a day or two earlier.
The result has reignited the eternal Messi-Ronaldo debate among fans.
Ronaldo supporters point to the clean sweep of the top spots by the Portuguese star’s seasons and the popular mandate; Messi fans note that the paid, multi-vote system and the split of Messi’s eight awards across different years diluted his showing.
Regardless, Ronaldo’s 2008 campaign has now been officially recognized by the Ballon d’Or organizers’ fan poll as the standout individual season in the award’s history.
