Ronaldo Tops Messi In Ballon d’Or History

The new B.O.A.T. award from France Football magazine, which honors the greatest Ballon d’Or-winning season in history, was won by Cristiano Ronaldo after he defeated longtime rival Lionel Messi.

In a public vote conducted by the French magazine, the Portuguese superstar won the 2008 Ballon d’Or, surpassing Messi’s 2012 victory.

The “Greatest Ballon d’Or of All Time” award was created in conjunction with this year’s Ballon d’Or ceremony to honor past winners of football’s most prestigious individual prize for their most exceptional individual campaigns.

The B.O.A.T. award was chosen by votes from France Football’s users, in contrast to the conventional Ballon d’Or, which is decided by journalists. Instead of selecting a football player’s entire career, voters chose a particular year in which the player won the award.

Ronaldo won his first Ballon d’Or in 2008. His winning season put him ahead of Messi’s 2012 edition, and the 2002 victory of Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazário was also one of the nominated editions.

Players who had won the Ballon d’Or at least twice during their careers were among the nominees. Messi, Ronaldo, Ronaldo Nazvé, Michel Platini, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Kevin Keegan, Franz Beckenbauer, Johan Cruyff, and Alfredo Di Stéfano were among them.

Messi was nominated for 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, and 2019, while Ronaldo was nominated for 2008, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017, 2021 and 2023.

However, users had to pay one euro per vote in order to take part in the public vote. There was also a raffle for two tickets to the 2027 Ballon d’Or ceremony.

According to the French publication, 5,009 people voted more than once. Of that number, 44 voters cast between 10 and 26 votes, 300 voted between five and nine times, while 4,665 voted between two and four times.

Congratulations, Ronaldo, on an extraordinary achievement and a career filled with unforgettable moments. Your dedication, talent, and relentless drive have inspired football fans around the world. The debate with Messi will always continue, but your legacy in the history of the Ballon d’Or is undeniable.