Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates his 'Ballon d'Or of All Time'

Ronaldo won a new 'Ballon d'Or of All Time' award in a fan vote, beating Messi's 2012 award with his 2008 trophy from Manchester United.

France Football introduced a new award at the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony: the 'Ballon d'Or of All Time' (B.O.A.T.), decided by public vote. Cristiano Ronaldo won the inaugural honour, with his 2008 Ballon d'Or — won while at Manchester United — voted the greatest in history, ahead of Lionel Messi's 2012 award.

Ronaldo celebrated on X with a photo of himself kissing the trophy, writing: "Football belongs to the fans! Thanks to all the fans in the world, the Ballon d'Or of All Time is also yours." That 2008 season, he won the Premier League and Champions League with Manchester United and scored 42 goals. It was the first of five Ballon d'Or awards he would win in his career.