Cristiano Ronaldo dedicated his Ballon d’Or of All Time (BOAT) fan vote victory to supporters around the world after his 2008 campaign at Manchester United beat Lionel Messi’s record-breaking 2012 season to top the rankings.

The Al-Nassr forward thanked fans for their support in a post on X, saying football belonged to them and that the honour was theirs to share. The result saw Ronaldo finish first in the inaugural poll, with Messi second and Ronaldo’s 2017 campaign third. "Football belongs to the fans! Thank you to all the fans around the world, the Ballon D’Or of All Time is also yours," Ronaldo wrote on X.

WHY RONALDO'S 2008 SEASON TOPPED THE VOTE

Ronaldo enjoyed one of the defining seasons of his career in 2007-08, scoring 42 goals across all competitions for Manchester United. He helped the club win both the Premier League and the Champions League, scoring in the final of the latter against Chelsea.

He also finished as the Premier League’s leading scorer with 31 goals and won his first Ballon d’Or later that year. The award recognised his influence during a campaign in which he combined goalscoring with pace, aerial strength and an ability to decide big matches.

Messi’s 2012 campaign offered formidable competition. The Argentine scored 91 goals for club and country during the calendar year, setting a record that remains one of football’s most remarkable individual achievements. He also won his fourth consecutive Ballon d’Or in January 2013.

HOW THE BOAT FAN VOTE WORKED

The Ballon d’Or of All Time initiative invited fans to choose the greatest campaign by a Ballon d’Or winner. Unlike the traditional award, which is decided by an international panel of journalists, this poll relied on public voting.

The list featured several legends of the game, including Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini, Marco van Basten, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Kevin Keegan and Franz Beckenbauer. Alfredo Di Stefano and Brazil’s Ronaldo Nazario were also among the nominees.

Voting reportedly cost one euro per ballot. Organisers also offered participants the chance to enter a prize draw for two tickets to the 2027 Ballon d’Or ceremony.

Ronaldo and Messi occupied the first 12 positions in the final rankings, underlining their dominance in the poll. Ronaldo Nazario finished 13th for his 2002 Ballon d’Or-winning campaign, making him the highest-ranked player outside the two rivals.

A RIVALRY THAT CONTINUES TO CAPTIVATE FANS

Ronaldo and Messi have won a combined 13 Ballon d’Or awards, with the Portuguese forward claiming five and the Argentine eight. Their sustained success at club and international level has made comparisons between them a defining feature of modern football.

The BOAT result reflects the preferences of those who participated in the poll rather than providing a definitive answer to the debate over football’s greatest player. However, Ronaldo’s 2008 campaign finishing ahead of Messi’s extraordinary 2012 year offers another measure of the enduring interest in their careers.

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