Cristiano Ronaldo’s Ballon d’Or-winning campaign in 2008 has been voted the greatest in the award’s history, finishing ahead of Lionel Messi’s record-breaking 2012 season in a public poll marking the prize’s 70th anniversary.
The Portuguese forward topped the Ballon d’Or of All Time (B.O.A.T.) vote, while Messi’s 2012 campaign finished second. Ronaldo’s 2017 season placed third, followed by Messi’s 2023 campaign in fourth and Ronaldo’s 2016 season in fifth.
Ronaldo’s winning campaign came during the 2007–08 season with Manchester United, when he scored 42 goals across all competitions and helped the club win both the Premier League and UEFA Champions League.
He scored 31 league goals to finish as the Premier League’s top scorer and also found the net in the Champions League final against Chelsea. United eventually won the European title after a penalty shootout in Moscow.
The performances earned Ronaldo his first Ballon d’Or in 2008, establishing the beginning of a career in which he would win the award five times.
Messi’s 2012 campaign also stood out for its extraordinary goalscoring record. The Argentine scored 91 goals for club and country during the calendar year, setting a record that remains one of the most remarkable individual achievements in football.
Ronaldo’s 2017 campaign, during which he won the Ballon d’Or after helping Real Madrid secure major honours, finished third in the public vote. Messi’s 2023 campaign ranked fourth, while Ronaldo’s 2016 season completed the top five.
The B.O.A.T. poll invited fans to select the greatest Ballon d’Or-winning season from a shortlist of multiple award winners. It differs from the traditional Ballon d’Or, which is decided by an international panel of journalists.
The final top five rankings were:
- Cristiano Ronaldo — 2008
- Lionel Messi — 2012
- Cristiano Ronaldo — 2017
- Lionel Messi — 2023
- Cristiano Ronaldo — 2016
The result highlights the enduring popularity of Ronaldo’s Manchester United campaign, which combined individual goalscoring excellence with success in two of European football’s biggest competitions.
