While the debate over whether Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi holds the title of Greatest of All Time may never be decisively settled, the Portuguese superstar has claimed the upper hand this time. Just two days after the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony, it was announced on Wednesday that Ronaldo won a special fan vote designed to determine the most impressive individual triumph in the history of the prestigious award. The new initiative by French publication France Soccer was dubbed B.O.A.T. - an acronym for "Ballon d'Or Of All Time."
Unlike the traditional Ballon d'Or, where the recipient is selected by an international panel of journalists, this vote was handed over entirely to the fans. Rather than judging players on their overall careers, the competition focused on a specific winning year. Voters were able to choose between standout historic campaigns, such as Ronaldo’s 2008, Messi’s 2012, or Brazilian Ronaldo’s 2002.
In the end, Cristiano Ronaldo's maiden Ballon d'Or victory from 2008 captured first place. The Portuguese icon, who was starring for Manchester United at the time, finished ahead of Messi's record-breaking 2012. Ronaldo’s 2017 season took third place, meaning the 41-year-old star claimed two of the top three spots in the final tally.
The 2007/08 season stands as one of the defining chapters of Ronaldo's career. He netted 42 goals across all competitions for Manchester United, spearheading the club’s march to both the English Premier League and UEFA Champions League titles while securing the European Golden Shoe. At the conclusion of that campaign, he was crowned a Ballon d'Or winner for the first time, finishing ahead of Messi and Fernando Torres.
Messi settled for second place with his 2012 victory - the historic calendar year in which he set one of soccer's most staggering individual milestones by scoring 91 goals for Barcelona and Argentina. Despite holding an all-time record eight Ballon d'Or trophies to Ronaldo's five, the Argentine had to settle for the runner-up spot in this edition.
The poll operated under unusual rules: Each vote cost one euro, and fans were permitted to vote an unlimited number of times as long as each entry was paid for. Consequently, the final results reflect the volume of purchased votes rather than the exact headcount of individual fans favoring a given player.
The shortlist of nominees was restricted exclusively to players who have won the Ballon d'Or at least twice during their careers. Alongside Messi and Ronaldo, the elite group featured Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini, Marco van Basten, Franz Beckenbauer, Alfredo Di Stefano, Kevin Keegan, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, and Brazil’s Ronaldo.
Despite the ambitious title, France Soccer emphasized that the honor does not represent an official new award or a physical trophy, but rather a celebratory fan vote highlighting the greatest single-season achievements in Ballon d'Or history. Nevertheless, for Ronaldo and his global fanbase, it marks yet another high-profile victory in his storied, endless rivalry with Messi.