Cristiano Ronaldo Leads Ballon d’Or B.O.A.T. Public Vote Over Lionel Messi
A public voting initiative launched by the official Ballon d’Or platform has placed Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2008 campaign ahead of Lionel Messi in a new award designed to crown the ultimate winner in history. The contest, known as the B.O.A.T. (Ballon d’Or Of All Time), restricts the shortlist to ten legendary players who have secured the prestigious trophy at least twice. While global football journalists will determine the 2026 winner in London next Monday among contemporary contenders like Rodri, Kylian Mbappe, Lamine Yamal, and Harry Kane, this separate digital ballot lets fans choose the standout individual season across decades of football history, according to sportbible.com.
How the Fan Vote and Shortlist Operate
The competition opened in early October and runs until midnight in Paris on October 27, with official results announced the following day, sportbible.com reported. Participants must select a specific calendar year corresponding to a player’s previous victory. The exclusive shortlist features ten historical icons: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Ronaldo Nazario, Marco van Basten, Michel Platini, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Kevin Keegan, Franz Beckenbauer, Johan Cruyff, and Alfredo Di Stefano. Voters are permitted to cast multiple ballots, but each entry costs one euro and grants an entry into a draw to win two tickets to the annual ceremony alongside a photograph with the trophy, goal.com noted.
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Current Standings and Voting Percentages
Cristiano Ronaldo commands a substantial lead with his 2008 victory at Manchester United capturing 62 percent of the total votes, goal.com reported. During that standout year, the Portuguese forward scored 42 goals in 49 appearances—including 31 in the Premier League—and guided United to a domestic and European double that earned him both his maiden Ballon d’Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year award, according to sportbible.com. Lionel Messi’s historic 2012 season, which featured a record 91 goals, sits second in the polling with 7 percent according to goal.com, though sportbible.com places his 2023 victory higher at 10 percent following his World Cup triumph in Qatar with Argentina. Additional tallies show Ronaldo’s 2017 triumph securing 7 percent and his 2016 campaign pulling 2 percent, while other editions across both players’ careers account for 1 percent or less.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does voting close for the Ballon d’Or Of All Time poll?
Voting closes at midnight in Paris on October 27, with the official results set to be announced the following day.
How much does it cost to vote in the B.O.A.T. poll?
Each individual vote costs one euro, which also enters the participant into a draw to win two tickets to the annual ceremony and a photo with the trophy.
Which players are eligible for the B.O.A.T. shortlist?
Only players who have won the Ballon d’Or at least twice are included on the ten-man shortlist, which features Messi, Ronaldo, Cruyff, Platini, Beckenbauer, Di Stefano, Van Basten, Rummenigge, Keegan, and Ronaldo Nazario.
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