Cristiano Ronaldo leads fans’ vote for Ballon d’Or All Time (BOAT) by a wide margin ahead of Messi and 10 other winners

Cristiano Ronaldo leads the Ballon d’Or fan vote of all time (BOAT) with 62% ahead of Messi/Balland’or Cristiano Ronaldo hasn’t appeared on the Ballon d’Or shortlist since 2022, but his place in the award’s history is getting new attention through a new fan vote. Forward Al-Nassr currently leads the official Ballon d’Or BOAT competition, with supporters hailing his 2008 campaign for Manchester United as the biggest winning season in the award’s history. The survey gives fans another way to look back on the season that first established Ronaldo among football’s defining names.

How is the Ballon d’Or BOAT fan vote?

Official Ballon d’Or platform launched BOAT — Ballon d’Or of all time— a competition in early October, challenging supporters to select the best individual season among 10 players who have won the trophy at least twice. Rather than fans choosing their favorite footballer, the survey focuses on what each candidate achieved during a particular Ballon d’Or-winning campaign.The ten contestants are Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldo Nazário, Marco van Basten, Michel Platini, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Kevin Keegan, Franz Beckenbauer, Johan Cruyff and Alfredo Di Stéfano.At the time of writing, Ronaldo’s 2008 season reportedly leads with 62 percent of the vote, while Messi’s 2012 campaign received 13 percent. The result remains provisional, with voting set to close at midnight on October 27 and final results expected on October 28.There is also a paid element to the competition, with each vote costing €1 and supporters being able to vote repeatedly, even for the same player. The format has raised questions about how much the rankings reflect footballing judgment, but Ronaldo’s commanding early lead nonetheless brought his first Ballon d’Or season back into the spotlight.

Why Ronaldo’s 2008 season remains so memorable

Ronaldo won his first Ballon d’Or in 2008 while playing for Manchester United, following a campaign in which he scored 42 goals across all competitions and helped the club win both the Premier League and the Champions League.He also scored in the Champions League final against Chelsea, although United ended up needing a penalty shoot-out to clinch the European title. At the time, winger Sir Alex Ferguson, who signed a contract with Sporting CP, developed into one of the most determined players in world football.That season marked the start of Ronaldo’s long run as a front-runner for the Ballon d’Or, and the current poll asks fans to judge this particular campaign against the best individual seasons produced by other multiple winners.

Ronaldo’s Ballon d’Or record, from first nomination to five wins

Ronaldo was first nominated for the Ballon d’Or in 2004 after joining Manchester United from Sporting CP. He received 18 nominations, one more than Messi’s 17, and remained a regular shortlist for around 15 years.His first win came in 2008, followed by a second in 2013 and another in 2014. The 2013 award was contested by some observers who believed Franck Ribéry deserved the recognition after Bayern Munich’s treble season, while Ronaldo’s 2014 victory followed another prolific year.In 2016, Ronaldo won after helping Portugal win the European Championship and Real Madrid lift the Champions League, winning the award by a record margin. He won his fifth and final Ballon d’Or in 2017 after Madrid won another European title.Meanwhile, Messi has won the award eight times: in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023. The fan vote does not change this overall result, but offers a separate comparison between each campaign.

Why the vote matters to Ronaldo now

Ronaldo failed to receive any votes in the 2022 Ballon d’Or and has not since returned to the 30-man shortlist following his exit from European football and a second exit from Manchester United in 2022. Now playing in Saudi Arabia for Al-Nassr, he is approaching the later stages of a career that has seen him win major accolades at Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus.His top spot in the BOAT poll is more a reminder of the season that started his Ballon d’Or legacy than evidence that he is returning to contention for the current award. The 2026 ceremony is scheduled for 26 October at the London Palladium, marking the 70th year and the first time the gala has been held in the UK to honor the inaugural winner, Sir Stanley Matthews.Fan voting will close the following night and the result will be announced on October 28. Whether or not Ronaldo’s 2008 campaign maintains its dominance, the competition has reopened a familiar debate by asking supporters to compare football’s greatest seasons, rather than simply counting the trophies each player has collected.