Ronaldo Edges Out Messi: Voted the Greatest Ballon d'Or Performance in History

Cristiano Ronaldo has come out on top in a fan vote to determine the greatest individual performance in Ballon d'Or history. The Portuguese star's 2008 campaign in a Manchester United shirt was voted number one by football fans. In a poll that also featured legends of the game such as Lionel Messi and Ronaldo Nazário, the top 10 places were shared exclusively by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

The fan vote, organised by the Ballon d'Or under the name "BOAT" (Ballon d'Or of All Time) and carrying no status as an official award, considered only the finest seasons of players who have won the award more than once. Following the widely participated vote, Cristiano Ronaldo's 2008 performance was confirmed as the best in football history.

In the unforgettable 2007/08 season with Manchester United, the Portuguese star scored 42 goals in 49 matches and won both the Premier League and the Champions League. Having left his mark on a season in which the English club added two major trophies to their cabinet, Ronaldo went on to win the first Ballon d'Or of his career in 2008.

Lionel Messi's highest-ranked year in the poll was 2012. The Argentine legend scored 73 goals for Barcelona in the 2011/12 season, setting a record that will be hard to break. Although Messi did not win LaLiga or the Champions League that season, his incredible individual performance made it one of the most remarkable spells in football history.