Cristiano Ronaldo’s maiden Ballon d’Or triumph in 2008 has been voted the greatest Ballon d’Or win in history, beating Lionel Messi’s record-breaking 2012 campaign in the inaugural Ballon d’Or of All Time (B.O.A.T.) poll.
The result recognises Ronaldo’s outstanding 2007–08 season with Manchester United, when he scored 42 goals in all competitions and helped Sir Alex Ferguson’s side win both the Premier League and the Champions League.
The public vote, organised through the official Ballon d’Or website, opened on 1 October and closed on 27 October. Fans paid €1 per entry, with multiple votes permitted. The initiative did not award a physical trophy.
Messi’s 2012 Ballon d’Or-winning year finished second, while Ronaldo’s 2017 triumph took third place. The results underline how the two long-time rivals dominated the award’s history, although the poll compared individual winning campaigns rather than deciding which player is the greatest of all time.
Ronaldo was 23 when he claimed his first Ballon d’Or, finishing ahead of Messi and Fernando Torres after a season in which he emerged as the leading figure in United’s attack.
The Portuguese winger scored 31 Premier League goals to win the competition’s Golden Boot. He also struck eight times in 11 Champions League appearances, including a goal in the final against Chelsea in Moscow.
United eventually won the European Cup after a penalty shoot-out, completing a campaign that delivered the club’s domestic and continental titles. Ronaldo also collected the European Golden Shoe after finishing as one of the most prolific scorers in Europe.
His first Ballon d’Or began a run that brought him four further wins, all during his time at Real Madrid, in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017.
Messi’s 2012 campaign was another landmark year. The Argentine scored a record 91 goals across club and international football during the calendar year, but his Ballon d’Or-winning season finished behind Ronaldo’s 2008 triumph in the public poll.
Ronaldo’s 2017 win completed the top three, placing two of his campaigns alongside Messi’s record-setting year.
The B.O.A.T. initiative was created to let fans choose the most outstanding Ballon d’Or-winning campaign among multiple-time winners. It is separate from the annual award and the Super Ballon d’Or.
