'Football belongs to the fans': Ronaldo reacts after winning Ballon d’Or of All Time

Cristiano Ronaldo has thanked fans around the world after his 2008 Ballon d’Or-winning season was voted the greatest in the history of the prestigious award, beating Lionel Messi’s record-breaking 2012 campaign in the inaugural Ballon d’Or of All Time (B.O.A.T.) poll. The Portuguese superstar took to social media to acknowledge the supporters who voted for him, sharing a message that placed the achievement firmly in the hands of football fans. “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.

The B.O.A.T. poll, organised through the official Ballon d’Or platform, invited fans to choose the greatest Ballon d’Or-winning campaign of all time. Ronaldo’s first triumph, earned in 2008 after a remarkable season with Manchester United, emerged as the winner. At just 23, Ronaldo enjoyed a spectacular 2007-08 campaign, scoring 42 goals across all competitions as Manchester United won both the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League. He also finished as the leading scorer in both competitions, establishing himself as one of the world's standout players. His 2008 Ballon d’Or was the first of five he would win during his career, with subsequent triumphs coming in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017. Messi's extraordinary 2012 campaign finished second in the poll. The Argentine scored a record 91 goals across club and international football that calendar year, but his Ballon d’Or-winning season could not dislodge Ronaldo's maiden triumph from the top spot. Ronaldo's 2017 Ballon d’Or-winning campaign finished third, while Messi's 2023 triumph came fourth. The two great rivals dominated the top 12 positions in the final rankings.

The B.O.A.T. initiative was designed to identify the most memorable Ballon d’Or-winning season, rather than award another official Ballon d’Or to a player. The fan vote featured ten players who had won the Ballon d’Or more than twice, allowing supporters to compare iconic individual campaigns across different eras. Voting opened on October 1, with participants required to pay to cast their votes and becoming eligible for a prize draw for tickets to the 2027 ceremony. Organisers did not present a physical trophy for the poll.