Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese football star, thanked football fans around the world after receiving the first Ballon d’Or of All Time (BOAT) award, stating that this honor also belongs to them.
BOAT Award and Its Importance
Ronaldo wrote in an Instagram message: "Football belongs to the fans! Thank you to all the fans around the world, the Ballon d’Or of All Time also belongs to you." This award was given to Ronaldo due to widespread voting from fans globally, and his 2008 season with Manchester United was recognized as the best individual year in the history of this award.
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Competition with Lionel Messi and Other Legends
The BOAT award was introduced by France Football as a unique award to fuel discussions about greatness in football. After Harry Kane, the England and Bayern Munich star, received the Ballon d’Or, the BOAT award was given to Ronaldo. This award was introduced to determine the best season in the history of the Ballon d'Or.
With this award, Ronaldo managed to surpass his longtime rival, Lionel Messi. Voters seemed to prefer Ronaldo's first Ballon d'Or title over Messi's 91-goal season in 2012, a record that still stands.
While the traditional Ballon d’Or relies on the decision of a panel of reputable international journalists, the BOAT award shifted power to the fans, allowing them to vote digitally.
The list of nominees included players who have won the Ballon d'Or multiple times, including Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini, Marco van Basten, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Kevin Keegan, and Franz Beckenbauer, as well as Real Madrid legends Alfredo Di Stéfano and Brazilian Ronaldo Nazário.
Fans had to pay an amount equivalent to one euro to vote, and to encourage fan participation, the organizers entered all voters into a draw for two tickets to the 2027 Ballon d'Or ceremony. This decision was well received by fans, and thousands took action to pay the fee, with over 5,000 people voting multiple times to ensure their favorite player or campaign wins. Ronaldo and Messi dominated this list, ranking in the top 12. In 13th place, Ronaldo Nazário's victory in 2002 broke this trend.
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