Ronaldo Thanks Fans After His 2008 Season Wins Ballon d’Or of All Time Vote
Cristiano Ronaldo has thanked football supporters worldwide after his 2008 Ballon d’Or-winning season was voted the greatest in the inaugural Ballon d’Or of All Time (BOAT) fan poll.
The Portuguese forward expressed his appreciation in a social media post on Thursday, October 29, a day after the result was announced.
“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.
His 2008 campaign with Manchester United finished ahead of Lionel Messi’s 2012 season, while Ronaldo’s 2017 campaign came third in the public vote.
The BOAT initiative was introduced to mark the 70th anniversary of the Ballon d’Or, which was first awarded in 1956.
Unlike the traditional Ballon d’Or, whose winner is determined by journalists, the BOAT poll invited fans to choose their preferred season from previous Ballon d’Or-winning campaigns.
Why Ronaldo’s 2008 Season Stood Out
Ronaldo enjoyed one of the defining seasons of his career in 2007–08, scoring 42 goals in all competitions for Manchester United.
He scored 31 Premier League goals as United won the English league title and also helped the club secure the UEFA Champions League trophy.
Ronaldo scored in the Champions League final against Chelsea, which United won on penalties after a 1–1 draw. His performances earned him his first Ballon d’Or later in 2008.
The Portuguese forward subsequently won the award in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017, taking his career tally to five.
Messi Finishes Second
Messi’s 2012 campaign finished second in the BOAT poll.
The Argentine forward scored 91 goals for club and country during the calendar year, setting a remarkable goalscoring record, and later secured his fourth Ballon d’Or in January 2013.
Messi has won the traditional Ballon d’Or eight times, compared with Ronaldo’s five.
The poll’s outcome therefore adds another chapter to the long-running rivalry between the two players, although it measured public preference for particular award-winning seasons rather than their overall careers.
The inaugural BOAT result reflects the choices of participating fans and does not replace the traditional Ballon d’Or or establish an official ranking of the greatest footballers in history.
