Ronaldo Beats Messi In Controversial Ballon d’Or BOAT Fan Vote
Portuguese Star Tops Paid Poll With His 2008 Award As Messi Finishes Second In Greatest-Winner Contest
Cristiano Ronaldo has beaten Lionel Messi in a controversial fan vote to determine the greatest Ballon d’Or winner of all time, with supporters required to pay €1 for every ballot cast.
The Portuguese forward finished first in the BOAT award poll introduced by UEFA and France Football, ahead of eight-time winner Messi and nine other football legends who had won the prestigious individual award at least twice.
Ronaldo topped the voting with his 2008 Ballon d’Or triumph, the first of his five career wins. Messi finished second for his 2012 award, while Ronaldo claimed third place for his 2017 victory, securing two of the top three positions.
The results add another chapter to the long-running rivalry between the two superstars, although the paid fan poll does not necessarily establish a definitive verdict on the greatest Ballon d’Or winner.
Ronaldo won his first Ballon d’Or in 2008 while playing for Manchester United, finishing ahead of Messi and Spanish striker Fernando Torres.
He subsequently won the award in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017, with those four triumphs coming during his time at Real Madrid.
Messi, meanwhile, holds the record with eight Ballon d’Or titles, making him the most decorated winner in the award’s history.
Voting for the BOAT award closed overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday on the official Ballon d’Or website.
