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Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2008 Ballon d’Or-winning season is leading an online vote to select the greatest Ballon d’Or-winning campaign in football history, comfortably ahead of Lionel Messi’s record-breaking 2012 season.
The poll, launched on an official Ballon d’Or platform in early October, features 10 legendary players who have won the prestigious award at least twice. Voting will remain open until midnight Paris time on October 27.
Each participant must select a particular season from the careers of the multiple-time winners, with each vote costing one euro. Voters can enter multiple times, including for the same player, and view the candidates’ current voting percentages. Participants also have the chance to enter a draw for two tickets to this year’s Ballon d’Or ceremony and download an iconic image of the trophy.
Ronaldo’s 2008 campaign has secured around 62 per cent of the votes so far, making it the clear frontrunner. The Portuguese forward won his first Ballon d’Or after an outstanding season with Manchester United. It was the first of the five Ballon d’Or titles he would collect during his career.
Messi’s remarkable 2012 season, when he scored a record 91 goals in 69 matches across the calendar year, has received around 13 per cent of the votes. The Argentine won the award for a fourth consecutive time that year.
His votes appear to be spread across the eight Ballon d’Or titles he has won. Messi’s 2023 award, following Argentina’s World Cup triumph in Qatar, ranks next with around nine per cent.
During the 2022-23 season, Messi helped Paris Saint-Germain win Ligue 1 and the French Super Cup. He scored 21 goals and provided 20 assists in 41 matches for the French club.
Ronaldo’s 2007 and 2016 Ballon d’Or-winning seasons have received around seven per cent and two per cent of the votes, respectively. The other winning campaigns have each attracted less than one per cent, with some recording no visible share.
The poll also features Brazilian Ronaldo Nazário, Marco van Basten, Michel Platini, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Kevin Keegan, Franz Beckenbauer, Johan Cruyff and Alfredo Di Stéfano.
Brazilian Ronaldo won the award in 1997 and 2002, while Dutch great Van Basten claimed it in 1988, 1989 and 1992. Platini and Cruyff also won the trophy three times each.
Meanwhile, Messi and Ronaldo continue their pursuit of the 1,000-goal milestone. Messi has scored 936 goals in 1,180 matches, while Ronaldo has netted 981 goals in 1,340 appearances, according to the figures cited in the poll report.
