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Football

Ronaldo’s 2008 Manchester United season wins inaugural B.O.A.T. fan vote

Vertrix News Desk · 28 Oct 2026, 20:13 UTC · 3 sources
Ronaldo’s 2008 Manchester United season wins inaugural B.O.A.T. fan vote
Image source: India Today

Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2008 campaign at Manchester United has been voted the greatest Ballon d’Or-winning season in the inaugural B.O.A.T. fan poll. Lionel Messi’s record-setting 2012 year finished second, while Ronaldo’s 2017 season was third. Every place in the 10-season ranking went to one of the two long-time rivals, with five entries each.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2008 season at Manchester United has won the inaugural Ballon d’Or of All Time, or B.O.A.T., fan vote, finishing ahead of Lionel Messi’s 2012 campaign. The result was reported by India Today, while MARCA’s headline also identified Ronaldo’s 2008 season as the winner. Ronaldo scored 42 goals in all competitions during that campaign and helped Manchester United win both the Premier League and the Champions League.

He scored 31 league goals, claimed the Premier League Golden Boot and found the net in the Champions League final against Chelsea in Moscow. Manchester United eventually won that final on penalties. Ronaldo’s performances earned him his first Ballon d’Or in 2008, the beginning of a total of five awards, according to India Today.

Messi’s second-place entry was his 2012 season. The Barcelona forward scored 91 goals for club and country during that calendar year, a record described by India Today as one of the most remarkable individual achievements in football. Messi later won a record eight Ballon d’Or awards.

The final 10 places were shared exclusively by Ronaldo and Messi. Ronaldo’s campaigns from 2008, 2017, 2016, 2014 and 2013 appeared on the list, while Messi’s entries were 2012, 2023, 2015, 2011 and 2009. The published ranking was: Ronaldo 2008, Messi 2012, Ronaldo 2017, Messi 2023, Ronaldo 2016, Ronaldo 2014, Messi 2015, Ronaldo 2013, Messi 2011 and Messi 2009.

The result left the other nominated football legends outside the top 10. The B.O.A.T. initiative was launched as part of celebrations for the 70th anniversary of the Ballon d’Or.

Fans were asked to choose the greatest individual season from 10 players who had won the award at least twice. The shortlist included Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini, Marco van Basten, Franz Beckenbauer, Alfredo Di Stefano, Kevin Keegan, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Ronaldo Nazario, alongside Ronaldo and Messi. India Today stressed that the poll judged individual Ballon d’Or-winning seasons rather than entire careers.

Ronaldo’s victory therefore recognises the popularity of his 2008 campaign in this fan vote, rather than providing an official resolution to the broader debate over which of the two players is the greatest of all time.

How this report was produced
Vertrix News compared the attributed reports listed below and wrote this independent synthesis. Claims remain attributed where independent verification was unavailable.

Sources