Cristiano Ronaldo has officially been named the “Ballon d’Or of all-time” winner, a new fan-voted honor from France Football, and Seattle, the debate over the GOAT just got a whole lot hotter. This went down Monday, October 26, at the Ballon d’Or ceremony itself, with host Kate Scott letting everyone know the fan vote was live to crown the single best Ballon d’Or winner ever. Guess who won? Ronaldo, specifically for his unbelievable 2008 season, which unbelievably edged out Lionel Messi’s record-smashing 2012 campaign. Talk about a shocker!
The Fan Vote Shakes Up the GOAT Debate
For over a decade, Ronaldo and Messi have owned the global game, literally hogging every single Ballon d’Or trophy from 2008 to 2017, plus three of the next five. It felt like they had a stranglehold on the award, and honestly, who could blame them? So, it is no surprise that when France Football launched this “Ballon d’Or of all-time,” or BOAT for short, these two absolute legends dominated the top of the voting charts. What *is* surprising, though, is how the fans ranked them. The entire top five list is pure Ronaldo or Messi, a testament to their insane individual success. It went like this: Cristiano Ronaldo (2008) snagged the top spot, followed by Lionel Messi (2012) at number two, then Ronaldo again (2017), Messi (2023), and Ronaldo one more time (2016). That top ranking for Ronaldo’s 2008 season over Messi’s 2012 is going to ignite some serious arguments.
The Numbers Tell a Wild Story: 35 Beats 91?
Now, let’s get into the nitty-gritty, because the stats here are what’s truly jaw-dropping. Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2008 Ballon d’Or win was built on an incredible run through the 2007/08 club season with Manchester United. He absolutely tore it up, winning the Premier League and UEFA Champions League double and finishing as the top goal scorer in both competitions. For the 2008 calendar year, Ronaldo racked up 35 goals (34 for Man Utd, 1 for Portugal) and dished out 12 assists (11 for Man Utd, 1 for Portugal). That’s a phenomenal year, no doubt. But then you look at Lionel Messi’s 2012. We are talking about an unthinkable 91 goals in a single calendar year, with 79 for Barcelona and 12 for Argentina, plus 22 assists total (21 for Barcelona, 1 for Argentina). Messi’s 91 goals in 2012 *dwarfed* Ronaldo’s 35 from 2008, yet the fans voted Ronaldo’s year as the all-time best. It makes you scratch your head, doesn’t it? What were those fans seeing that transcended the sheer volume of goals? It’s a question that is going to keep the “greatest ever” conversation buzzing for a long, long time.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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