Ronaldo beat Lionel Messi to the award
Cristiano Ronaldo has another achievement to celebrate. The Portuguese superstar finished ahead of Lionel Messi in the Ballon d’Or of All Time (BOAT) vote, with fans choosing his remarkable 2008 season as the greatest among the award’s historic winners. On Thursday, October 29, Ronaldo took to social media to share a message of appreciation.
“Football belongs to the fans! Thank you to all the fans around the world. The Ballon d’Or of All Time is yours too!” Ronaldo wrote, dedicating the recognition to the supporters who backed him in the vote organized by France Football.
His 2008 Ballon d’Or-winning season claimed the top spot, beating Lionel Messi’s extraordinary 2012 campaign. Ronaldo also finished third with his 2017 season, giving the Portuguese forward two of the three highest-ranked entries.
The BOAT (Ballon d’Or of All Time) is a special fan vote organized by France Football to determine the greatest individual Ballon d’Or-winning campaign in soccer history. Rather than comparing entire careers, supporters were asked to choose between specific seasons that earned players the prestigious award.
The candidates included legendary names such as Ronaldo Nazário, Johan Cruyff, Alfredo Di Stéfano, Michel Platini, Franz Beckenbauer and Marco van Basten. Voting cost one euro per entry, and fans could cast multiple votes. According to published figures, 5,009 participants voted more than once.
Unlike the traditional Ballon d’Or, the BOAT is a symbolic fan-voted distinction, rather than an award decided by the journalists who select the annual winner.
The winning campaign remains one of the defining chapters of Ronaldo’s career. At just 23 years old, he scored 42 goals in 49 appearances for Manchester United during the 2007–08 season.
He helped United win the Premier League and UEFA Champions League, while his 31 league goals earned him the Premier League Golden Boot and European Golden Shoe. Those performances also secured the first of his five Ballon d’Or awards.
The season established Ronaldo among the world’s elite players and set the stage for his eventual move to Real Madrid in 2009.