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RONALDO BEATS MESSI! CR7’s 2008 Season Wins Ballon d’Or B.O.A.T. Fan Vote

Cristiano Ronaldo has claimed another victory in football’s historic rivalry with Lionel Messi after fans voted his 2008 Ballon d’Or-winning season the greatest in the award’s history.

The Portuguese superstar finished first in the inaugural Ballon d’Or of All Time (B.O.A.T.) poll, organised to celebrate the award’s 70th anniversary. Messi’s extraordinary 2012 campaign came second, while Ronaldo’s 2017 season secured third place.

Ronaldo’s 2007–08 season was one of the defining periods of his career. Playing for Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson, he scored 42 goals in 49 appearances across all competitions, helping the club win both the Premier League and UEFA Champions League.

He scored 31 league goals to claim the Premier League Golden Boot and finished as the Champions League’s leading scorer with eight goals. His performances earned him his first Ballon d’Or in 2008.

Messi’s second-place finish came for a calendar year in which he scored a remarkable 91 goals for club and country in 2012, a record-setting achievement that remains one of football’s most extraordinary individual feats.

The final top 10 was dominated entirely by Ronaldo and Messi, with each legend occupying five positions. Ronaldo’s seasons from 2008, 2017, 2016, 2014 and 2013 made the list, alongside Messi’s campaigns from 2012, 2023, 2015, 2011 and 2009.

However, the result needs context. The B.O.A.T. was a fan poll comparing individual Ballon d’Or-winning seasons, not an official award declaring the greatest footballer of all time. The outcome adds another chapter to the rivalry between two players who have shaped an era of world football.

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