Cristiano Ronaldo's Legendary 2008 Ballon d'Or Dominates 'Greatest Of All Time' Fan Vote!

Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2008 Ballon d’Or triumph is currently leading a fan vote to determine the greatest Ballon d’Or winner of all time, according to organisers. The poll, officially known as the Greatest Ballon d’Or of All Time (BOAT), asks supporters to select the most outstanding Ballon d’Or-winning campaign in the award's history. As of a recent update, Ronaldo's 2008 victory has attracted a significant 75% of ballots cast so far.

Ronaldo's dominant 2008 season with Manchester United was marked by remarkable achievements, including Premier League and UEFA Champions League titles. He also secured the European Golden Shoe and scored an impressive 42 goals across all competitions. This particular win was also his inaugural Ballon d’Or success, making it a memorable milestone in his career.

Following in the standings, Lionel Messi’s 2012 victory holds second place with nine percent of the votes. Messi's 2012 campaign is notably highlighted by his record-breaking achievement of 91 goals for both club and country within a single calendar year, a feat that organisers state remains unbeaten. Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2017 win secures the third position with six percent of the votes, thus giving the Portuguese forward two of the top three spots in the current ranking.

The poll also features several other legendary former winners, including football icons such as Ronaldo Nazário, Marco van Basten, Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff, Kevin Keegan, Franz Beckenbauer, and Alfredo Di Stéfano. Organisers have indicated that these legends are currently trailing the leading contenders, with their combined share of the vote remaining relatively small.

Organisers have clarified that the BOAT initiative is a public vote designed to celebrate fans’ passion for football and is not intended as an official trophy. They emphasized that the standings could still shift before voting concludes on October 27. The final results are scheduled to be announced the following day, October 28. Fans interested in participating can cast their votes through the official Ballon d’Or website. As an incentive, participants will receive a photograph of the first Ballon d’Or, which was presented in 1956, and will also be entered into a prize draw for a ticket to the 2027 Ballon d’Or ceremony.