Cristiano Ronaldo wins inaugural BOAT award as fans pick his 2008 Manchester United season

Cristiano Ronaldo was named the inaugural winner of the BOAT (Ballon d'Or of All Time) award on October 29, 2026 after a fan vote that selected his 2008 Manchester United campaign as the greatest Ballon d'Or season. The fan-driven poll placed him ahead of long-time rival Lionel Messi.

France Football introduced the BOAT award to generate debate over which Ballon d'Or-winning campaign should be judged the greatest of all time. The BOAT differed from the traditional Ballon d'Or in that fans, not an international panel of prominent journalists, determined the outcome. Organisers presented the format as a digital voting process open to the public.

The voting list featured many celebrated figures from football history, including Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini, Marco van Basten, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Kevin Keegan and Franz Beckenbauer. Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano and Brazilian great Ronaldo Nazario were also among the nominees. Those names were offered as options for fans to choose from in the online ballot.

Supporters favoured Ronaldo's first Ballon d'Or-winning season in 2008 over Lionel Messi's 2012 campaign, during which Messi scored 91 goals in the calendar year; the 91-goal calendar year record still stands. Ronaldo ultimately finished top of the fan ballot, defeating Messi in the public vote. The result centred on a comparison of their standout Ballon d'Or-winning campaigns.

Participation in the BOAT vote required a one-euro payment to cast a ballot. The initiative attracted considerable interest, with thousands taking part in the contest. More than 5,000 individuals voted multiple times in efforts to support their preferred campaign.

Ronaldo and Messi dominated the final rankings, occupying the first 12 positions between them. That sequence was broken at 13th place by Brazil's Ronaldo Nazario, whose 2002 Ballon d'Or-winning campaign was the highest-ranked season outside the pair. Organisers reported the placement of campaigns across the full list following the fan-driven count.

Organisers also entered voters into a prize draw for two tickets to the 2027 Ballon d'Or ceremony as an additional incentive. Ronaldo's victory adds another chapter to his long-running rivalry with Messi, with fans having delivered their verdict on which of their standout Ballon d'Or-winning campaigns earns the title.