The rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo has produced countless debates over the years. Now another chapter has been added to that story—but this time, the contest was about their greatest Ballon d’Or-winning seasons.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2008 Ballon d’Or-winning season has been voted the best in the history of the award in the special Ballon d’Or of All Time (BOAT) fan poll. Lionel Messi’s 2012 season finished second.

The poll was launched on October 1 and closed on October 27. Fans could vote by paying €1 per ballot and were allowed to vote more than once.

Ronaldo’s 2008 Season Beats Messi’s 2012

Ronaldo won his first Ballon d’Or in 2008 after an outstanding 2007–08 campaign with Manchester United.

He scored 42 goals in all competitions, including 31 in the Premier League, while United won both the Premier League and UEFA Champions League.

Ronaldo also scored in the Champions League final against Chelsea before United eventually won the trophy on penalties. His remarkable campaign earned him the first Ballon d’Or of his career.

Messi’s 2012 campaign was equally extraordinary in its own way. The Argentine superstar scored a record 91 goals in the calendar year and won his fourth consecutive Ballon d’Or.

But when fans were asked to choose between the two legendary campaigns, Ronaldo’s 2008 season came out on top.

Messi and Ronaldo Dominate the Top 12

The final rankings were dominated by Messi and Ronaldo. All of the top 12 places belonged to one of the two superstars and their Ballon d’Or-winning seasons.

The top 12 were:

1. Cristiano Ronaldo — 2008

2. Lionel Messi — 2012

3. Cristiano Ronaldo — 2017

4. Lionel Messi — 2023

5. Cristiano Ronaldo — 2016

6. Cristiano Ronaldo — 2014

7. Lionel Messi — 2015

8. Cristiano Ronaldo — 2013

9. Lionel Messi — 2011

10. Lionel Messi — 2009

11. Lionel Messi — 2019

12. Lionel Messi — 2021

Ronaldo and Messi were followed by Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazário, whose 2002 Ballon d’Or-winning season finished 13th.

Ten Ballon d’Or Legends in the Running

The BOAT vote featured players who had won the Ballon d’Or at least twice. The nominees included:

• Lionel Messi — 8 wins

• Cristiano Ronaldo — 5 wins

• Johan Cruyff — 3 wins

• Michel Platini — 3 wins

• Marco van Basten — 3 wins

• Franz Beckenbauer — 2 wins

• Karl-Heinz Rummenigge — 2 wins

• Ronaldo Nazário — 2 wins

• Kevin Keegan — 2 wins

• Alfredo Di Stéfano — 2 wins

Importantly, the vote was not simply about choosing the greatest player. Fans were asked to choose the greatest Ballon d’Or-winning season among these legends.

Questions Over the Voting Process

The voting process attracted attention because supporters were allowed to cast multiple ballots.

According to the published figures, 5,009 users voted more than once. Of those, 44 users voted between 10 and 26 times, 300 voted between five and nine times, while 4,665 users voted between two and four times.

That makes the BOAT fundamentally different from the traditional Ballon d’Or, which is decided through a structured voting process. BOAT was a special fan poll rather than a new official Ballon d’Or award.

Why Was Ronaldo’s 2008 Season So Special?

The 2007–08 campaign was a defining season for Ronaldo.

He scored 31 Premier League goals and 42 across all competitions, while helping Manchester United win the league title and Champions League.

It was also the beginning of his five-Ballon-d’Or era. Ronaldo later won four more awards in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017.

Messi, meanwhile, remains the record eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, with his 2012 victory marking his fourth consecutive triumph.

The latest fan vote has therefore added another fascinating chapter to the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry.

This time, Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2008 season came out on top.