Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2008 Season Voted Best Ballon d’Or of All Time, Ahead of Messi
Fans have voted Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2008 Ballon d’Or-winning season as the greatest in the award’s history, with Lionel Messi’s 2012 season in second place.
Fans Pick Ronaldo’s 2008 Season
The official “Ballon d’Or of All Time” fan vote has ended after one month, and Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2008 season came out on top.
That year, Ronaldo was playing for Manchester United. He scored 42 goals and won the Premier League, the Champions League and the European Golden Shoe. Fans decided this was the best season ever by a Ballon d’Or winner.
Messi Second, Legends Follow
Lionel Messi’s 2012 season finished second. That year, Messi scored a remarkable 91 goals in a single calendar year.
The two stars dominated the vote, taking all of the top 12 places between them. Other legends such as Brazil’s Ronaldo Nazario, Johan Cruyff and Franz Beckenbauer followed behind.
Congratulations From United and Portugal
Both Manchester United and Portugal congratulated Ronaldo after the result. United shared a message on their website praising his achievement. Portugal’s national team posted on social media that the award belongs to Portugal and congratulated their captain.
How the Vote Worked
The vote was open only to players who have won the Ballon d’Or at least twice. Fans had to pay one euro per vote and could vote as many times as they liked.
Each voter received a historic photo of the first Ballon d’Or. Voters also had the chance to win tickets to the 2027 Ballon d’Or ceremony. Organisers said there is no trophy or physical prize for the winner.