Ronaldo’s 2008 Season Dominates All-Time Ballon d’Or Fan Vote, Leaving Messi’s 2012 Far Behind

Cristiano Ronaldo leads Lionel Messi by a substantial margin in the Ballon d’Or of All Time fan vote. France Football launched a public poll to determine the greatest Ballon d’Or-winning season in history, and Ronaldo’s 2008 triumph is currently commanding the leaderboard with just days remaining before the voting closes.

As reported by the official Ballon d’Or website, Ronaldo’s 2008 campaign commands 75% of the votes, creating a commanding lead over all other contenders. Messi’s 2012 season trails in second place with 9%, while Ronaldo’s 2017 victory occupies third spot with 6%. This vote represents a fan-driven initiative to honor supporter passion, not an official championship, and percentages may fluctuate as the poll remains active.

Fans have elevated Ronaldo’s 2008 campaign as the exceptional season that stands apart. He earned the world’s best player honors following Manchester United’s Premier League and Champions League double, capturing the European Golden Shoe while netting 42 goals across all competitions.

With the 2008 honor, Cristiano became the third Portuguese player to claim the award, following Eusebio in 1965 and Luis Figo in 2000. Despite maintaining a dominant advantage over Messi, voters retain the opportunity to cast ballots until Oct. 27, with final results scheduled for publication on Oct. 28 via the official Ballon d’Or website.

How the Ballon d’Or of All Time vote operates

Participants are selecting the finest season that earned a Ballon d’Or distinction, with each vote priced at one euro. This system divides a player’s career into separate ballot entries, potentially diluting aggregated support for multiple winners. Messi appears eight times on the shortlist, representing his victories in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023, spreading votes across several distinct seasons.

The contenders on the ballot include only players who have secured the award at least twice: Ronaldo, Messi, Ronaldo Nazario, Marco van Basten, Michel Platini, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Kevin Keegan, Franz Beckenbauer, Johan Cruyff and Alfredo Di Stefano.

The outcome contributes another dimension to the enduring rivalry between Ronaldo and Messi, two athletes who defined generations and collectively captured 13 Ballon d’Or titles. Regardless of whether the margin persists or narrows, the poll reveals that for numerous supporters, Ronaldo’s 2008 season emerges as the preeminent achievement.

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