Cristiano Ronaldo may be dominating a special Ballon d’Or fan poll, but even a convincing victory will not earn the Portuguese superstar another trophy. France Football, the organisation behind the prestigious football award, has clarified that the ongoing public vote is not an attempt to revive the historic Super Ballon d’Or and carries no official sporting honour.
The clarification follows widespread confusion among football supporters over the newly introduced Ballon d’Or of All Time (BOAT) initiative, launched to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the award.
With the main Ballon d’Or ceremony scheduled for Monday, 26 October, the timing of the poll prompted speculation that an extraordinary prize might be introduced to recognise the greatest footballer in history.
France Football has now dismissed those suggestions, explaining that the initiative is designed solely to celebrate memorable individual seasons and encourage supporters to participate in the anniversary festivities.
Unlike the traditional Ballon d’Or, which recognises outstanding footballing achievements through an established voting process, BOAT allows supporters to select their favourite individual campaign from a shortlist of legendary players.
Ten footballers who have won the Ballon d’Or more than once feature in the poll. They are Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Brazil’s Ronaldo Nazário, Marco van Basten, Michel Platini, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Kevin Keegan, Franz Beckenbauer, Johan Cruyff and Alfredo Di Stéfano.
The voting system does not assess the players’ entire careers or compare their total number of Ballon d’Or victories. Instead, supporters are asked to judge individual seasons, focusing on the performances that made those campaigns particularly memorable.
Each vote costs €1, and there is no restriction on how many times an individual can participate.
That arrangement means supporters can cast multiple votes for their preferred candidate, potentially influencing the overall standings through repeated participation. Consequently, the results cannot necessarily be interpreted as a measure of how many individual supporters favour a particular player.
Questions about the purpose of the initiative intensified across social media, with some fans drawing comparisons between BOAT and the rarely awarded Super Ballon d’Or.
Responding to the speculation, France Football explained that the poll was created to celebrate the enthusiasm and passion of football supporters rather than establish another official distinction.
The organisers stressed that BOAT is entirely based on public participation and does not represent a physical trophy or an award that will be presented during the annual ceremony.
The final results of the supporters’ vote are scheduled to be announced on 28 October, two days after the main Ballon d’Or event.
France Football also sought to distinguish the anniversary initiative from the Super Ballon d’Or, a special award that holds a unique place in football history.
The Super Ballon d’Or was presented only once, in December 1989. Its purpose was to recognise the outstanding footballer among multiple Ballon d’Or winners from the preceding three decades.
Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stéfano received that extraordinary honour, finishing ahead of fellow football icons Johan Cruyff and Michel Platini.
Di Stéfano, renowned for his remarkable achievements during Real Madrid’s rise to European dominance, remains the only player ever to have received the distinction.
Despite continued interest among supporters, the Super Ballon d’Or has not been awarded again since 1989. No official date has been announced for another presentation, and the current anniversary poll does not signal its return.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo’s remarkable 2008 campaign has emerged as the overwhelming favourite in the ongoing BOAT voting.
According to the standings reported in the original account, the former Manchester United forward’s 2008 season has attracted approximately 75 per cent of the votes.
That campaign remains one of the defining periods of Ronaldo’s career. Playing under Sir Alex Ferguson, he delivered exceptional performances as Manchester United secured both the Premier League title and the UEFA Champions League.
Ronaldo scored 42 goals in all competitions during the 2007–08 season, establishing himself as one of the world’s most formidable attacking players.
His performances ultimately earned him the 2008 Ballon d’Or, the first of five he would go on to win during his illustrious career.
The campaign also marked a significant stage in his development from an exciting young winger into a prolific goalscorer capable of influencing the biggest matches in European football.
Lionel Messi’s 2012 and 2013 campaigns are among the other leading entries in the anniversary poll, with each reportedly receiving nine per cent of the vote.
Messi’s 2012 performances were particularly extraordinary. The Argentine scored 91 goals for Barcelona and his national team during the calendar year, establishing a record for the most goals scored by a player in a single calendar year.
His sustained excellence during that period further strengthened his reputation as one of football’s greatest players and contributed to his dominance of the Ballon d’Or during the early 2010s.
The inclusion of these memorable campaigns has renewed discussion among supporters about the greatest individual seasons in football history.
However, the voting figures represent preferences expressed through a paid, repeatable voting system rather than an official assessment of the players’ historical standing.
France Football’s intervention is intended to ensure that supporters do not mistake the anniversary celebration for a competition carrying the same significance as the traditional Ballon d’Or or the historic Super Ballon d’Or.
For Ronaldo, the commanding lead reflects the enthusiasm surrounding his outstanding Manchester United campaign. It does not, however, place another official individual honour within his reach.
Regardless of whether the Portuguese forward maintains his advantage until voting concludes, the result will not add a new Ballon d’Or or Super Ballon d’Or trophy to his collection.
When the results are announced on 28 October, they will simply reveal which memorable individual season received the greatest support in France Football’s anniversary poll.
