Cristiano Ronaldo wins all-time version of the Ballon d’Or BOAT award after fans voted his legendary 2008 season as the best ever.
The Al Nassr forward also triumphed in the poll against some of football’s all-time greats, including the likes of Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini, Marco van Basten, Franz Beckenbauer and Ronaldo Nazário.
Only the two modern-day rivals ranked in the top 10 in Ronaldo’s 2008 season with Manchester United finished above Messi’s remarkable 2012 campaign with Barcelona.
Voting: Supporters could vote as often as they liked, with every vote costing €1.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored 31 top-flight goals as a 23-year-old to win the first of his five Ballon d’Or titles. A good year? Ronaldo scored 42 goals overall for Manchester United in 2008, 31 of which came in the Premier League when he secured the Golden Boot and then the Ballon d’Or at age 23.
He scored many important goals for United and went on to be regarded as one of the best players in the world.
The Portuguese forward then spent nine seasons at Real Madrid, claiming a further four Champions League titles.
Ronaldo at Al Nassr. Last week, Ronaldo scored for his 982nd career goal when his Al Nassr team beat Al Faisaly 3-1 in the Saudi Pro League.
The BOAT endorsement is yet another accolade in what has been a distinguished career, but it remains to be seen whether the debates over who is the greatest, Messi or Ronaldo, will continue among football supporters.
