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Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo has beaten longtime rival Lionel Messi in France Football's "Ballon d'Or of All Time" fan vote, with his 2007-08 season at Manchester United named the greatest individual campaign among previous winners of the prestigious football award.
The 41-year-old Al Nassr forward topped a month-long online vote organized to mark the Ballon d'Or's 70th anniversary, which invited supporters to choose the best season by a previous recipient.
Ronaldo's winning campaign saw him score 42 goals across all competitions as Manchester United secured both the English Premier League title and the UEFA Champions League trophy.
Those performances earned the Portuguese forward his first Ballon d'Or in 2008, making it the standout choice among fans voting in the anniversary poll.
Following the result, Ronaldo thanked supporters on Instagram Thursday, writing: "Football belongs to the fans! Thank you to all the fans around the world, the Ballon D'Or of All Time is also yours."
Portugal's Football Federation also congratulated its captain on X, declaring: "From 2008 to eternity. The greatest Ballon d'Or winner of all time is Portuguese. Congratulations, captain!"
Messi, who holds the record with eight Ballon d'Or awards, finished second for his 2012 campaign with Barcelona, while Ronaldo has collected five awards throughout his career.
Although the fan vote placed Ronaldo ahead of Messi, the recognition remains symbolic and does not count as an additional official Ballon d'Or title.
The initiative was organized as part of the award's 70th-anniversary celebrations, recognizing standout individual seasons from its history.
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