Cristiano Ronaldo has opened a commanding lead over Lionel Messi in the public vote for football’s Best of All Time (B.O.A.T.) award, reigniting the long-running debate over which of the two superstars deserves a place at the top of the sport’s history.
According to the voting figures published on Tuesday, October 20, the Al-Nassr forward’s outstanding 2008 season has attracted 62 per cent of the votes, placing him well ahead of Messi’s celebrated campaigns as supporters decide which individual season deserves recognition in the special award.
Messi, who currently plays for Inter Miami, occupies second place in the standings, although his support is divided across several seasons. His remarkable 2012 campaign, when he scored a record 91 goals for club and country, has received 13 per cent of the votes, while his 2023 season, highlighted by Argentina’s FIFA World Cup triumph in Qatar, has attracted nine per cent.
The figures have added another dimension to the rivalry between two players whose achievements have shaped modern football for nearly two decades. However, the voting format means the contest is not simply a direct comparison between Ronaldo and Messi, as supporters are choosing individual seasons rather than casting their votes for one player across his entire career.
Ronaldo’s leading position is closely associated with his extraordinary 2007/08 campaign at Manchester United. The Portuguese forward played a decisive role in the club’s Premier League and UEFA Champions League triumphs, establishing himself as one of the world’s most influential attacking players.
His performances combined goalscoring, pace, aerial ability and individual brilliance, helping him win his first Ballon d’Or in 2008. That campaign marked a defining moment in his career and laid the foundation for his subsequent success at Real Madrid, Juventus and Al-Nassr.
Messi’s case rests on a different collection of historic achievements. His 91 goals in the 2012 calendar year remain one of football’s most extraordinary individual records, reflecting a period when the Argentine consistently broke scoring records and redefined expectations for an attacking player.
His 2023 achievements offered another compelling chapter, as he captained Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar before adding further honours to an already remarkable collection of individual and team awards.
The B.O.A.T. poll’s structure, however, presents a particular challenge for Messi. Rather than combining all votes for a player, the contest allows different award-winning seasons to compete separately. Consequently, support for the Inter Miami captain is spread across multiple campaigns, while Ronaldo’s 2008 season has accumulated a substantially larger share.
The special award, described as the Ballon d’Or of All Time, brings together ten football legends who have won the sport’s prestigious individual honour at least twice. The nominees include Alfredo Di Stefano, Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer, Michel Platini, Marco van Basten, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Kevin Keegan, Ronaldo Nazario, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The inclusion of historical greats places the modern rivalry within a broader examination of football’s evolution. Each nominee represents a different era, with supporters weighing individual brilliance, team success, consistency and influence on the game when deciding which campaign deserves recognition.
Unlike the traditional Ballon d’Or, which is decided through a voting process involving international journalists, the special B.O.A.T. poll gives supporters the opportunity to participate directly through digital voting. According to the published rules, fans can submit votes for one euro per entry, with unlimited submissions permitted.
Voting is scheduled to close at midnight on October 25, ahead of the awards gala at London’s London Palladium. The final outcome will therefore depend on the votes accumulated before the deadline, meaning the current standings should not be treated as the final result.
Beyond the public poll, Ronaldo and Messi continue to pursue another extraordinary milestone: reaching 1,000 official career goals.
Ronaldo has already moved beyond the 980-goal mark across more than 1,300 professional appearances, according to the figures cited in the report. Messi, meanwhile, has surpassed 935 goals in approximately 1,100 matches.
Their respective totals underline the extraordinary longevity of two players who have maintained elite goalscoring standards across different leagues, competitions and stages of their careers. Both remain active, giving the race for 1,000 goals the potential to become another defining chapter in their historic rivalry.
Nevertheless, the B.O.A.T. debate cannot be settled by a single poll. Ronaldo’s supporters point to his Champions League achievements, scoring records, success across multiple leagues and longevity at the highest level. Messi’s admirers highlight his extraordinary playmaking, individual records, team honours and World Cup triumph.
The current voting figures offer a snapshot of public preference rather than a definitive verdict on football’s greatest player. With the deadline approaching, the central question is whether Ronaldo’s commanding lead will hold or whether Messi’s supporters will rally behind one of his celebrated seasons.
For now, Ronaldo’s 2008 campaign occupies the leading position, but the wider argument over football’s greatest player remains as fiercely contested as ever.
