Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has won the “Ballon d’Or of All Time” as voted by fans. Photo: Reuters
Al-Nassr forward Cristiano Ronaldo has been awarded the special “Ballon d’Or of All Time” prize, according to the award’s official website.
The specific Ballon d’Or that the Portuguese star won in 2008—when he finished ahead of Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Liverpool’s Fernando Torres—took the top spot.
WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE VOTE FOR THE “BALLON D’OR OF ALL TIME”?
The nominees included players who had won the Ballon d’Or multiple times. In addition to Messi (8 trophies) and Ronaldo (5), the list featured Johan Cruyff (3), Michel Platini (3), Marco van Basten (3), Alfredo Di Stéfano (2), Franz Beckenbauer (2), Kevin Keegan (2), Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (2), and Ronaldo (2). The winner was determined by fans through a global, paid online vote, with each vote costing 1 euro.
WHY WAS RONALDO’S 2008 AWARD CHOSEN?
The organizers clarified in advance that the key criterion was not the total number of awards won, but rather the exceptional nature of a specific season. The winner was decided by the fans themselves, rather than by a jury of journalists. The 2008 Ballon d’Or has been recognized—based on voting results—as the most outstanding individual season in the history of the award.
Thus, Cristiano Ronaldo has added another accolade to his collection, albeit an unofficial one. His success underscores the fact that, even years later, fans still remember the 2008 season, when the Portuguese star first claimed the most prestigious individual honor in world football.
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