Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the winner of the BOAT award, a recognition introduced as an initiative of UEFA in collaboration with the magazine “France Football”, to select the greatest Ballon d’Or winner through public voting.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were the main protagonists of another symbolic showdown, this time off the green pitch. According to information published about the BOAT award, the Portuguese star took first place in the vote, leaving his Argentine rival behind.
Ronaldo finished at the top thanks to the Ballon d’Or he won in 2008, when he was part of Manchester United. Lionel Messi finished second, with the award he won in 2012, while the Portuguese also secured third place thanks to his triumph in 2017.
Ten great names in the history of football, who have won the Ballon d’Or at least twice, were included in this vote.
Lionel Messi leads the list of winners with eight trophies, while Cristiano Ronaldo has won this individual award five times. Among the legends included in the contest were also Marco van Basten, Michel Platini and Johan Cruyff, with three Ballon d’Or each.
The list was completed by Ronaldo Nazário, Franz Beckenbauer, Kevin Keegan, Alfredo Di Stéfano and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, all names that have left an important mark on the history of world football.
How did the voting work?
According to the details made public about this initiative, fans had the opportunity to vote at a cost of one euro per vote. A draw for two tickets to the Ballon d’Or ceremony in 2027 was also planned among participants.
However, beyond the result of this vote, Ronaldo’s career remains one of the most successful in the history of football. The Portuguese won his first Ballon d’Or in 2008 with the Manchester United shirt, before triumphing again in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017, during his period at Real Madrid.