Cristiano Ronaldo beats Lionel Messi to win Ballon d’Or ‘Best of All Time’ award

Cristiano Ronaldo has beaten long-time rival Lionel Messi to win the ‘Best of All Time’ (BOAT) award, a special recognition reportedly introduced by UEFA and France Football to celebrate the greatest players in Ballon d’Or history.

The Portugal international topped a public vote conducted through the official Ballon d’Or website, finishing ahead of Messi and other legendary figures who have won football’s most prestigious individual award.

According to the official Ballon d’Or website, Ronaldo’s 2008 Ballon d’Or-winning campaign secured the top position in the poll. The achievement adds another distinction to the forward’s remarkable career, which has seen him establish himself among the most decorated players in the history of the game.

Messi, who has won the Ballon d’Or eight times, finished second with his 2012 triumph, while Ronaldo’s 2017 edition placed third in the voting. The poll reportedly closed early on Wednesday.

The BOAT award, an abbreviation for ‘Best of All Time’, invited fans to select their favourite from a shortlist of 10 players who had each won the Ballon d’Or at least twice.

Ronaldo, a five-time winner, and Messi, the record eight-time recipient, led a distinguished group featuring some of football’s most influential players.

The shortlist also included Dutch greats Marco van Basten and Johan Cruyff, as well as French legend Michel Platini, all three-time Ballon d’Or winners.

Brazilian Ronaldo, Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer, England’s Kevin Keegan, Argentina’s Alfredo Di Stéfano and Germany’s Karl-Heinz Rummenigge completed the list, having each won the award twice.

The selection brought together players from different generations, highlighting the enduring debate over who deserves recognition as the greatest footballer in Ballon d’Or history.

Ronaldo won the first Ballon d’Or of his career in 2008 while playing for Manchester United. He finished ahead of Messi and Spain international Fernando Torres after an outstanding season with the English club.

The Portuguese forward went on to collect four more Ballon d’Or titles in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017, during his spell with Real Madrid.

His five victories cemented his position among the most successful players in the award’s history, with his rivalry with Messi becoming one of the defining storylines of modern football.

The BOAT voting process reportedly charged participants one euro per vote, with voters also entered into a draw to win two tickets to the 2027 Ballon d’Or ceremony.

Meanwhile, Harry Kane was named the 2026 Ballon d’Or winner at a ceremony in London, according to the information provided.

The Bayern Munich striker and England captain’s reported triumph adds another chapter to the award’s history, which has recognised outstanding individual performances in world football for decades.