Beating Messi: Cristiano Ronaldo wins the award for best in the history of the Ballon d'Or
Cristiano Ronaldo has won the "BOAT" award, launched by UEFA and France Football magazine to crown the best player in the history of Ballon d'Or winners. The Portugal star finished ahead of his great rival Lionel Messi and a host of the game's legends.
According to the official website of the Ballon d'Or award, Ronaldo owes his triumph to the 2008 edition, when he was a Manchester United player. It adds a fresh honour to an illustrious career, with the Portuguese topping a public vote run through the Ballon d'Or website at a cost of one euro per vote.
Messi, an eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, finished second for the 2012 edition. Ronaldo also took third place for his 2017 award, in a vote that closed in the early hours of Tuesday into Wednesday.
Ronaldo and Messi lead the race of legends
UEFA and France Football let the public choose the winner of the "BOAT" award, short for "Best Of All Time", from ten players who had each won the Ballon d'Or at least twice.
On the shortlist sat Ronaldo, a five-time winner, and Messi, the holder of eight titles, alongside the Netherlands' Marco van Basten and France's Michel Platini, each with three, plus the Netherlands' Johan Cruyff and his three Ballon d'Or awards.
Brazil's Ronaldo made the cut too, as did Germany's Franz Beckenbauer, England's Kevin Keegan, Argentina's Alfredo Di Stéfano and Germany's Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, each a two-time winner of the award.
The first Ballon d'Or: the start of Ronaldo's journey
Ronaldo claimed the first Ballon d'Or of his career in 2008, finishing ahead of Messi and Spain's Fernando Torres while shining for Manchester United.
Four more followed. The Portuguese added Ballon d'Or awards in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017, all of them during his Real Madrid years.
Voting for the "BOAT" award carried a one-euro entry fee, with every voter entered into a draw for two tickets to the 2027 Ballon d'Or ceremony.
Harry Kane, meanwhile, was crowned the Ballon d'Or winner as the world's best player in 2026. The Bayern Munich and England star collected the award at Monday's ceremony in London.
