Ronaldo’s 2008 Ballon d’Or named best ever by fans

Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2008 Ballon d’Or-winning season is now seen as the best in the history of the award. This was decided in a fan poll by the French magazine France Football.

Ronaldo’s first Ballon d’Or season topped the magazine’s B.O.A.T. (Ballon d’Or of All Time) project. Fans were invited to choose the best award-winning season among players who had won the Golden Ball at least twice.

The results were shared by football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano on X. This announcement came on Wednesday, just two days after the main 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony. Ronaldo finished ahead of Lionel Messi’s 2012 season.

Ronaldo won the 2008 award after a fantastic season with Manchester United. He scored 42 goals in all competitions and helped the team win both the Premier League title and the UEFA Champions League.

He also topped the Premier League scoring list with 31 goals and won the European Golden Shoe for his performance in the 2007-08 season. His success made him one of the top players in world football and earned him his first Ballon d’Or, with 446 points from 96 journalists. Messi came in second in the original voting.

The fan poll focused on individual seasons. It did not rank players' entire careers. Only players who have won at least two Ballon d’Or awards were included in the poll. Other multiple winners like Ronaldo Nazário, Michel Platini, and Marco van Basten were also part of the selection.

France Football described the poll as a celebration of fans’ love for football. They made it clear that the results were not an official award or a ranking made by journalists.

Even with some controversies about the poll format, Ronaldo’s 2008 season was the fans' favorite, almost 20 years after he first won the award.

This result shows how much Ronaldo’s achievements at Manchester United still matter. He balanced personal scoring records with major team wins that season.

Ronaldo's rivalry with Messi has influenced much of modern football. Both players have won several Ballon d’Or awards and had many remarkable seasons in their careers.

The poll’s results placed Ronaldo’s 2008 season at the top of the fans’ list, ahead of Messi’s incredible 2012 season. In that year, Messi set a scoring record for the calendar year, securing his spot as one of football’s greatest players.