"Football belongs to supporters": Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates 'Ballon d'Or of All Time' award

Ronaldo won a fan-voted 'Ballon d'Or of All Time' award for his 2008 prize with Manchester United, two days after Kane's 2026 Ballon d'Or win.

Two days after Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d'Or in London, Cristiano Ronaldo was crowned winner of a new 'Ballon d'Or of All Time' award in a paid online fan vote. The award, created by the Ballon d'Or organisers, honours the greatest individual Ballon d'Or win in history among players who have won it multiple times, judging specific years rather than overall career achievement.

Ronaldo's 2008 Ballon d'Or — his first, won with Manchester United after lifting the Champions League — received the most votes. Fans paid one euro per vote, with 5,009 people voting multiple times, including 44 who voted between 10 and 26 times before the October 27 deadline. Messi's 2012 award finished second. Ronaldo, now 41 and playing for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, responded: "Football belongs to the supporters! Thank you to all supporters around the world: the Ballon d'Or of all time is also yours."

Ronaldo competed against nine other multi-time winners including Messi (eight), Cruyff and Platini (three each), and Di Stefano, Beckenbauer, Keegan, Rummenigge, van Basten and Ronaldo Nazário (two each).