Cristiano Ronaldo (2008) wins France Football's B.O.A.T. vote
Fans voted Ronaldo's 2008 Manchester United season the best Ballon d'Or edition; Messi 2012 was second.
Cristiano Ronaldo's 2008 season with Manchester United was chosen as the winning entry in the B.O.A.T. special selection organized by France Football for the best version of a Ballon d'Or winner in history.
In the fan vote Ronaldo's 2008 edition beat Lionel Messi's 2012 campaign. Ronaldo's 2017 version finished third. The contest was limited to players who have won the Ballon d'Or at least twice.
Why the 2008 season stood out
Ronaldo won his first Ballon d'Or in 2008 after an outstanding campaign with Manchester United, during which the club claimed both the Premier League title and the Champions League. In the league he scored 31 goals and ended the season with a total of 42 goals in all competitions.
The B.O.A.T. result highlights how fans remember Ronaldo's 2008 form — a combination of high goal output and major trophies — as a defining peak in his career.
The special vote by France Football reframed past Ballon d'Or winners as distinct “editions,” letting supporters choose which version of a multi-time winner they consider the greatest.
Photo: press material from the event
