Cristiano Ronaldo has beaten longtime rival Lionel Messi to win the inaugural Ballon d’Or of All Time (BOAT) award, with fans voting his 2008 season at Manchester United as the greatest Ballon d’Or-winning campaign in football history. The result adds a fresh chapter to the long-running debate over the achievements of two of the sport’s most celebrated players.
The new fan-voted award was introduced by France Football as part of celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the Ballon d’Or. It asked supporters to choose the most outstanding season among previous winners of the prestigious individual football honour. Ronaldo’s first Ballon d’Or-winning campaign finished at the top, while Messi’s extraordinary 2012 season came second. Ronaldo’s 2017 campaign secured third place, followed by Messi’s 2023 season in fourth.
The BOAT result is different from the traditional Ballon d’Or, which recognises a player’s individual performances and is decided by an international panel of journalists. The new initiative focused on the best single campaign among past winners, giving fans the opportunity to compare memorable seasons from different generations.
Ronaldo’s winning season came in 2007-08, when he was playing under manager Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. The Portuguese forward scored 42 goals across all competitions, helping the English club win both the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League. His performances established him as one of the world’s leading players and paved the way for his first Ballon d’Or triumph in 2008.
The season was remarkable not only for Ronaldo’s goal tally but also for his influence in decisive matches. He scored 31 goals in the Premier League, earning the league’s Golden Boot, and finished as the leading scorer in the Champions League. Manchester United went on to defeat Chelsea in the Champions League final in Moscow, winning the trophy after a penalty shootout.
Ronaldo’s achievements during the campaign helped transform him from a gifted winger into a global football superstar. His pace, dribbling, aerial ability and finishing made him a constant threat, while his performances across domestic and European competitions strengthened his claim to the sport’s biggest individual awards.
Messi’s second-place finish reflected another extraordinary chapter in his career. In 2012, the Argentine scored a record 91 goals across club and international football in a calendar year. His goalscoring achievements remain among the most remarkable individual records in the sport, and the season continues to be a benchmark for attacking excellence.
Despite Messi’s record-breaking year, voters placed Ronaldo’s 2008 campaign ahead of it. The result does not change the overall Ballon d’Or record: Messi has won the traditional award eight times, while Ronaldo has claimed it five times. Instead, the BOAT vote compares individual winning seasons rather than the number of awards collected across a career.
The ranking was dominated by the two modern greats. Ronaldo’s 2016 campaign finished fifth, followed by his 2014 season in sixth place. Messi’s 2015 campaign came seventh, while Ronaldo’s 2013 season was eighth. Messi’s 2011 and 2009 campaigns occupied ninth and tenth positions, respectively. The top 10 therefore featured only seasons belonging to Ronaldo and Messi.
The wider shortlist included legendary winners from earlier eras, such as Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini, Marco van Basten, Franz Beckenbauer, Kevin Keegan, Alfredo Di Stefano, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Brazil’s Ronaldo Nazario. Ronaldo Nazario’s 2002 campaign ranked 13th, breaking the run of Ronaldo and Messi seasons in the top 12.
The voting process also differed from the traditional award ceremony. Fans were able to cast votes online for a fee of one euro per entry. Participants were also entered into a prize draw for the chance to win two tickets to the 2027 Ballon d’Or ceremony. Voting opened on October 1 and closed on October 27, with the results announced shortly afterwards.
The paid voting system allowed supporters to participate more than once, making the BOAT award a measure of fan preference rather than a conventional expert-led verdict. The organisers did not introduce an additional physical trophy; the award recognises the winning campaign through the public vote.
For Ronaldo supporters, the result celebrates a season that delivered major club honours and his first Ballon d’Or. For Messi fans, the runner-up position does little to diminish the scale of the Argentine’s 2012 scoring record or his eight individual titles.
Ultimately, the BOAT award offers another way to revisit football history, rather than settling the question of who is the greatest player of all time. Ronaldo’s victory recognises his outstanding 2007-08 campaign, while the close comparison with Messi highlights how their careers have shaped modern football and kept the GOAT debate alive.
