New Delhi, October 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Cristiano Ronaldo has thanked football fans worldwide after his maiden Ballon d’Or-winning campaign in 2008 was voted the greatest in the history of the award in the B.O.A.T. (Best of All Time) poll conducted by its organisers.
“Football belongs to the fans! Thank you to all the fans around the world; the Ballon D’Or of All Time is also yours,” the Portuguese football star wrote on social media on Thursday.
The poll invited fans to select the greatest Ballon d’Or-winning campaign. Ronaldo’s 2008 victory topped the vote, while Lionel Messi’s 2012 triumph finished second.
Ronaldo won the award after a remarkable 2007-08 season with Manchester United, scoring 42 goals in 49 appearances across all competitions. He played a key role in the club’s Premier League and UEFA Champions League double.
In the Premier League, Ronaldo scored 31 goals to finish as the competition’s leading scorer and help United secure their 17th league title. He also topped the Champions League scoring charts with eight goals.
Manchester United defeated Chelsea in the Champions League final, which ended 1-1 after extra time. Ronaldo scored United’s goal before Sir Alex Ferguson’s side secured the trophy in a penalty shootout.
Ronaldo’s first Ballon d’Or came a year after he finished runner-up to Brazil’s Kaká. He became the third Portuguese player to win the honour, following Eusebio in 1965 and Luis Figo in 2000.
The 2008 award marked a major milestone in Ronaldo’s career, which began at Manchester United in 2003 when he arrived as an 18-year-old. He has since won the Ballon d’Or five times, while Messi holds the record with eight titles.
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