All-time Ballon d'Or: Cristiano Ronaldo's 2008 award named the best Ballon d'Or of all time

The Portuguese forward edged out Lionel Messi and his 2012 Ballon d’Or in the vote organised by France Football. The paid poll celebrates the prestigious trophy’s 70th anniversary without awarding a new official prize.

Cristiano Ronaldo has added a symbolic distinction to his honours list. The Ballon d’Or won in 2008 by the former Manchester United forward has been named the best Ballon d’Or of all time as part of the B.O.A.T. (Ballon d’Or of All Time), according to results reported by Spanish daily Marca this Wednesday, 28 October 2026.

The Portuguese edged out Lionel Messi and his 2012 triumph. The ranking is the result of a vote opened to supporters by France Football to mark the Ballon d’Or’s 70th anniversary. Unlike the annual award, which is decided according to the criteria of its jury, this poll is based exclusively on the public’s choices.

2008, the year Cristiano Ronaldo was crowned

At the age of 23, Cristiano Ronaldo won his first Ballon d’Or after an outstanding season in Manchester United colours. The Portuguese forward scored 42 goals in all competitions and helped the Red Devils win the Premier League and Champions League during the 2007-08 season.

This first triumph marked the beginning of a historic rivalry with Lionel Messi. The B.O.A.T. vote now places their landmark seasons head-to-head, distinguishing a specific edition of the Ballon d’Or rather than the two players’ careers as a whole.

Messi, Ronaldo and football legends in the rankings

The vote brought together players who had won the Ballon d’Or at least twice. In total, ten football legends were represented across 32 editions of the trophy.

Lionel Messi had eight editions in contention, compared with five for Cristiano Ronaldo. Brazil’s Ronaldo Nazário, with his 1997 and 2002 triumphs, was also among the candidates, alongside Michel Platini, Marco van Basten, Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer, Alfredo Di Stéfano, Kevin Keegan and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

According to Marca, the top 12 places in the ranking were occupied by editions won by Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, before Ronaldo Nazário’s 2002 Ballon d’Or appeared.

A paid vote, separate from the Super Ballon d’Or

Each B.O.A.T. entry cost one euro. Supporters could vote several times, with each additional vote requiring a further contribution. This method limits the ranking’s value as a representative measure of general opinion: the number of votes does not necessarily correspond to the number of participating individuals.

Above all, the B.O.A.T. should not be confused with the Super Ballon d’Or. It is a digital, participatory initiative, with no new official trophy presented at the annual ceremony. The vote aims to identify the most memorable season among those of former winners, rather than alter the Ballon d’Or’s historical honours list.

With this result, Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2008 season has been singled out by supporters as the absolute benchmark among the editions put to the vote. A symbolic crowning that once again rekindles the debate surrounding the rivalry between the Portuguese and Lionel Messi.

Nouya M'toama

Editorfr, en

Versatile journalist specializing in sports and political news, with extensive experience across radio, print and digital media platforms.

Related teams and leagues

World Cup