Ronaldo’s 2008 Ballon d’Or leads the Greatest Ballon d’Or of All Time fan poll with 75% of votes, ahead of Messi’s 2012 triumph

Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2008 Ballon d’Or triumph is leading a fan poll to determine the greatest Ballon d’Or-winning performance of all time, having secured 75 per cent of votes cast so far.

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The organisers announced the standings in a publication on the official Ballon d’Or website on Tuesday, with voting set to remain open until October 27. The final results will be announced on October 28.

The poll, titled Greatest Ballon d’Or of All Time (BOAT), gives football fans the opportunity to select the most outstanding winning campaign in the history of the prestigious individual award.

Ronaldo’s 2008 triumph currently holds a commanding lead, while Lionel Messi’s 2012 victory sits second with nine per cent of the votes.

Ronaldo’s 2017 Ballon d’Or-winning campaign is third with six per cent, meaning the Portuguese superstar has two of the top three entries in the ongoing poll.

According to the organisers, Ronaldo’s 2008 campaign with Manchester United was particularly remarkable as he helped the club win both the Premier League and UEFA Champions League.

The Portuguese forward also claimed the European Golden Shoe and scored 42 goals across all competitions during the season.

The 2008 award was Ronaldo’s first Ballon d’Or triumph and marked the beginning of a remarkable rivalry with Messi for football’s most prestigious individual honours.

Messi’s 2012 campaign remains one of the most statistically impressive in football history. The Argentine scored 91 goals for club and country during the calendar year, a record that remains unbeaten.

Other legendary Ballon d’Or winners included in the poll are Ronaldo Nazário, Marco van Basten, Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff, Kevin Keegan, Franz Beckenbauer and Alfredo Di Stéfano.

However, the organisers said the former winners were trailing the leading contenders, with their combined share of the votes remaining relatively small.

The Ballon d’Or organisers stressed that the BOAT poll is a public fan initiative designed to celebrate supporters’ passion for football and does not represent an official Ballon d’Or award.

They also noted that the standings could change before voting closes on Tuesday, October 27.

The final results are expected to be published on October 28.

Fans can participate through the official Ballon d’Or voting platform. Participants will also receive a photograph of the first Ballon d’Or trophy, which was presented in 1956, and will be entered into a prize draw for a ticket to the 2027 Ballon d’Or ceremony.

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With Ronaldo’s 2008 campaign currently commanding 75 per cent of the vote, his historic Manchester United season has emerged as the early favourite among fans for the greatest Ballon d’Or-winning performance.