Ronaldo tops all-time Ballon d’Or fan vote
Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2008 Ballon d’Or triumph has finished ahead of Lionel Messi’s 2012 victory in the “Ballon d’Or of All Time” public poll, reports a Qazinform News Agency correspondent, citing the official results.
Fans voted for individual award-winning years, allowing the same player to appear more than once among the contenders.
Organisers clarified the status of the initiative on the official Ballon d’Or website.
“Please note that this is a public vote celebrating fan passion, not an official trophy,” they stated.
Ronaldo claimed his first Ballon d’Or in 2008 after helping Manchester United win the Premier League and Champions League. He scored 42 goals across all competitions during the 2007/08 campaign. Messi’s runner-up entry recognized his 2012 triumph, when he scored 91 goals during the calendar year.
Voting ran from October 1 to 27. Under the official rules, each entry required purchasing a digital photograph for €1. Multiple votes were permitted, with a separate purchase required each time. Participants also entered a draw for two tickets to the 2027 Ballon d’Or ceremony.
Organizers disclosed that 5,009 people voted more than once, including 44 who submitted between 10 and 26 entries.
The poll does not change the players’ official award totals: Messi holds a record eight Ballons d’Or, while Ronaldo has five.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that England captain Harry Kane had won the 2026 Ballon d’Or, becoming the first Englishman to receive the award since Michael Owen in 2001.
