Historic Ballon d'Or: Cristiano Ronaldo dominates voting over Messi

The 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony takes place in London on Monday, October 26, with Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappé and Harry Kane as the leading contenders. However, one day later, at midnight on October 27, voting closes for the so-called Historic Ballon d'Or, an alternative award organized under the B.O.A.T. acronym that pits the best editions of the prestigious individual trophy against each other.

• Cristiano Ronaldo's 2008 Ballon d'Or dominates the vote with 62% support.
• Leo Messi's 2012 trophy, the year of his 91 goals, sits second with 13%.
• Each Ballon d'Or won counts as a separate candidacy, splitting votes for the same player.
• Taking part in the popular vote costs one euro with no limit on entries per person.
• Ten legends are in the running: Di Stéfano, Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Keegan, Rummenigge, Platini, Van Basten, Ronaldo Nazário, Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi.

How the B.O.A.T. works and how it differs from the traditional Ballon d'Or

This recognition breaks away from the classic format delivered by France Football every year. While the conventional trophy depends on a panel of specialized journalists, the B.O.A.T. is decided entirely by popular vote. Any fan can cast a ballot by paying one euro, with no restrictions on the number of entries. The organizers have set up a digital platform where users choose which specific Ballon d'Or edition deserves to be considered the greatest in history.

Cristiano Ronaldo's 2008 Ballon d'Or running away with the vote

Official figures published on the award's website show overwhelming dominance for the trophy won by Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008. That distinction, achieved during his spell at Manchester United after a season in which he lifted the Premier League and the Champions League, has gathered 62% of the vote. It is a significant advantage over the rest of the candidates and cements the Portuguese star as the clear favorite to win this symbolic accolade.

Messi's 2012 Ballon d'Or sits second with 13 percent

The second spot belongs to Leo Messi, specifically for the award obtained in 2012. That year the Argentine star produced a historic tally by scoring 91 goals in a calendar year wearing the FC Barcelona shirt, a record that still looks almost untouchable today. Despite the scale of that achievement, his candidacy only gathers 13% of the vote, a remarkable gap behind the frontrunner.

Why Messi is not the favorite: each award competes separately

The Argentine holds the all-time record for Ballon d'Or wins with eight trophies in his cabinet, and he is also among the nominees for the 2026 edition after his brilliant World Cup campaign. Yet in this special vote his chances are diluted by the format of the contest. Each winning year works as an independent candidacy, meaning the support Messi receives is spread across his different triumphs: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023. That fragmentation directly benefits Cristiano Ronaldo, whose five awards also compete separately but whose 2008 trophy currently concentrates the vast majority of the ballots.

The ten legends bidding for the Historic Ballon d'Or

The list of candidates brings together ten footballers who shaped their eras and managed to win the most prestigious individual trophy in world football. Alfredo Di Stéfano, Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer, Kevin Keegan, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Michel Platini, Marco van Basten, Ronaldo Nazário, Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi are the names on the ballot. All of them can boast at least one Ballon d'Or win, but now they compete to see which of their conquests is considered the most memorable by the fans.

Deadline to vote for the B.O.A.T. award

Those who want to take part have until midnight on Monday, October 27, just one day after the 2026 Ballon d'Or is handed out in London. That window allows voters to first find out who wins the traditional trophy and, with that information, choose the historic edition they consider most valuable. The award's website has officially released provisional participation data, confirming Cristiano Ronaldo's 2008 Ballon d'Or holds a commanding lead.