Ballon d’Or Of All Time poll features Messi and Ronaldo

To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Ballon d’Or, France Football has launched the “Ballon d’Or Of All Time” (B.O.A.T.) award. This special initiative allows fans to vote for the greatest individual season in the history of the prestigious award.

The voting process is open to the public via the official website, with each vote costing one euro. Participants are also entered into a draw for two tickets to the 2027 Ballon d’Or ceremony. The poll compares specific winning campaigns rather than entire careers, meaning players can compete with multiple different years from their history.

Ten legends who have won the award at least twice are nominated: Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldo Nazário, Marco van Basten, Michel Platini, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Kevin Keegan, Franz Beckenbauer, Johan Cruyff, and Alfredo Di Stéfano. Notably, legends such as Pelé and Diego Maradona are not included because the award was historically restricted to European players during their eras.

In preliminary results, Cristiano Ronaldo leads the poll, primarily driven by his 2008 season with Manchester United. Lionel Messi follows in the standings, with his 2012 and 2023 campaigns currently holding significant portions of the vote. The voting period concludes on October 27, with results expected to be announced on October 28.