Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2008 Ballon d’Or-winning season is leading a public poll to determine the greatest individual campaign in the award’s history, amid questions about whether its paid voting system is accessible to football fans worldwide.
The Portuguese forward’s Manchester United season has attracted the highest share of votes in the Greatest Ballon d’Or of All Time (BOAT) poll, with reports giving its support at between 62 and 75 per cent. The differing figures have not been reconciled.
The poll asks fans to rank individual Ballon d’Or-winning seasons rather than players’ overall careers. This has divided support for Lionel Messi across the eight years in which he won the award.
Messi’s 2012 campaign is among the leading entries, with reports putting its share at between nine and 13 per cent. His 2023 win, following Argentina’s World Cup triumph in Qatar, has also featured prominently in some reports, although the published figures differ.
Ronaldo’s 2017 season with Real Madrid is another leading contender, reportedly receiving between six and seven per cent of the votes. The results place two of the forward’s winning seasons among the poll’s top entries.
Ronaldo won his first Ballon d’Or in 2008 after helping Manchester United secure the Premier League and Champions League titles. He also claimed the European Golden Shoe and scored 42 goals across all competitions that season.
Messi’s 2012 campaign was marked by his record of 91 goals for club and country in a calendar year.
Voting remains open until 23:59 Paris time on October 27, with the final results expected on October 28, according to the published information. The poll precedes the 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony scheduled for the London Palladium on October 26.
However, participation requires fans to be at least 18, create an account, and pay €1 to obtain a digital photograph of the Ballon d’Or. Participants are also entered into a draw for two tickets to the 2027 ceremony.
The official website describes the payment as a contribution that provides voters with an iconic photograph and access to its community. The organisers have also clarified that the BOAT poll is a public fan initiative, not an official award.
Although the terms reviewed do not appear to restrict participation by country, the euro-denominated payment raises questions about how easily supporters outside Europe, including in Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa, can take part.
The reports available have not disclosed the total number of ballots cast or the countries from which votes originated. Without those figures, it remains unclear how broadly the poll represents football’s global following.
The question of representation carries historical significance for the Ballon d’Or. Before 1995, the award was restricted to European players, excluding legendary figures such as Pelé and Diego Maradona.
The main award is decided by journalists from the top 100 countries in the FIFA rankings, while only 20 African countries qualified to vote in this year’s edition, according to the supplied report.
Messi is on the shortlist for this year’s ceremony, while Ronaldo is not.
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