LONDON: Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has finished ahead of longtime rival Lionel Messi in a fan vote to determine the greatest Ballon d’Or-winning season, with his 2008 triumph ranked the best.
The special vote, called the BOAT award, was introduced by France Football to mark the 70th anniversary of the Ballon d’Or.
Ronaldo topped the poll for his outstanding 2007-08 season with Manchester United, when he scored 42 goals across all competitions and played a key role in the club’s Premier League and UEFA Champions League triumphs.
Argentina captain Messi finished second for his remarkable 2012 season, when he scored a record 91 goals in a calendar year.
Ronaldo’s 2017 season with Real Madrid ranked third in the fan vote.
However, the voting process has drawn criticism because participants were required to pay one euro to cast a vote and could vote multiple times, raising questions about whether the results reflected popularity or spending power.
Organizers said more than 5,000 people voted multiple times.
The organizers clarified that the BOAT recognition was the result of a public vote and was not an official Ballon d’Or award or a Super Ballon d’Or.
