Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2008 Ballon d’Or-winning campaign has been voted the greatest in the history of the prestigious individual football award in a fan poll organised by French magazine France Football.
The Portuguese forward’s first Ballon d’Or season topped the magazine’s B.O.A.T. (Ballon d’Or of All Time) initiative, which invited supporters to select the greatest award-winning campaign among players who had won the Golden Ball at least twice.
The results were announced on Wednesday, two days after the main 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony, with Ronaldo finishing ahead of Lionel Messi’s 2012 campaign.
Ronaldo won the 2008 award after an outstanding season with Manchester United, scoring 42 goals in all competitions and helping the English club secure both the Premier League title and the UEFA Champions League.
The forward also finished as the Premier League’s top scorer with 31 goals and claimed the European Golden Shoe for his performances during the 2007-08 campaign.
His achievements that season established him as one of the leading players in world football and secured his first Ballon d’Or.
AbdulBasit Saba is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
