Cristiano Ronaldo has expressed gratitude to football fans worldwide after winning the inaugural Ballon d’Or of All Time (B.O.A.T.) award, surpassing his longtime rival Lionel Messi. The announcement followed a fan-driven voting process introduced to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Ballon d’Or.

Ronaldo, 41, took to the social media platform X on October 29 to thank supporters, emphasizing the importance of fans in the sport. Alongside his message, he shared a photograph of himself holding the Ballon d’Or trophy from 2008, the first time he won the traditional award while playing for Manchester United.

The B.O.A.T. award invited supporters to vote for what they considered the greatest Ballon d’Or-winning season by some of football’s most celebrated figures. Ronaldo’s 2008 campaign with Manchester United was selected as the best, finishing ahead of Messi’s 2012 season, during which the Argentine scored 91 goals in a calendar year. Ronaldo’s 2017 campaign with Real Madrid, another Ballon d’Or-winning year, ranked third in the voting.

During that standout 2008 season, Ronaldo scored 42 goals across all competitions, helping Manchester United secure both the Premier League title and the UEFA Champions League trophy. His performances that year were widely regarded as instrumental to the team’s success.

Unlike the traditional Ballon d’Or—which is decided by a panel of journalists—the B.O.A.T. was determined through a public voting system that required fans to pay £1 per vote, with no limit on the number of votes each person could cast. This paid voting process marked a departure from the usual format, emphasizing fan engagement in selecting the winner.

The introduction of the B.O.A.T. has sparked discussions about the merits and limitations of fan-driven awards compared to those determined by expert panels, though supporters of the initiative highlight its celebration of football’s global fan base.