Ronaldo’s 2008 Man Utd Season Leads B.O.A.T. Vote Ahead of Messi
Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2008 Manchester United season is leading the special B.O.A.T. public vote with 62%, placing him well clear of Lionel Messi as online voting moves towards its October 25 deadline.
Ronaldo opens a major lead
The Al-Nassr forward’s best-supported campaign came in 2008, when he helped Manchester United win the Premier League and Champions League. That year is currently far ahead in the running for the honorary Ballon d’Or Of All Time award.
Messi is second through his extraordinary 2012 season, which brought 91 goals and currently has 13% of the vote. His 2023 year, capped by Argentina’s World Cup success, follows on 9%.
The result is a substantial early advantage for Ronaldo in a contest that has put football’s two defining modern rivals back at the centre of the debate.
How the B.O.A.T. vote works
The Ballon d’Or organisers selected 10 players eligible for the vote, with entry limited to footballers who have won the individual prize at least twice. Unlike the standard Ballon d’Or, which is decided by international journalists, this award is being put to a paid public digital vote.
- Supporters can make unlimited submissions.
- Each vote costs one euro.
- The ballot assesses individual Ballon d’Or-winning seasons rather than a player’s entire career.
- Voting closes at midnight on October 25, shortly before the London Palladium ceremony.
The season-by-season format has affected the early picture. Messi’s support is divided across eight separate winning years, while Ronaldo’s 2008 campaign has accumulated a more concentrated share.
Legends on the ballot
Ronaldo and Messi are joined by eight other multiple Ballon d’Or winners from different eras. Despite that depth of history, the current vote has been dominated by the former Real Madrid and Barcelona stars.
- Alfredo Di Stefano
- Johan Cruyff
- Franz Beckenbauer
- Michel Platini
- Marco van Basten
- Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
- Kevin Keegan
- Ronaldo Nazario
- Lionel Messi
- Cristiano Ronaldo
What happens next
The final total will be locked when voting ends on October 25 ahead of the London event. Away from the ballot, Ronaldo and Messi remain involved in another race with historic significance: both are pursuing 1,000 official senior career goals.
| Player | Official career goals | Professional appearances |
|---|---|---|
| Cristiano Ronaldo | More than 980 | More than 1,300 |
| Lionel Messi | More than 935 | About 1,100 |
Ronaldo holds the current scoring edge, but both players are still active and closing on a landmark no modern-era professional has reached.
