France Football has opened a global public ballot to crown the Best of All Time — known as B.O.A.T. — pitting legendary award-winning campaigns against each other, with Cristiano Ronaldo’s stellar 2008 Manchester United season currently leading the pack with 75% of the vote. The initiative invites fans to vote for specific calendar years rather than entire careers, requiring a fee of one euro per vote ahead of the closing deadline on Tuesday, October 27, at 23:59 Paris time.
Voting Cost and Rules for the B.O.A.T. Initiative
Participating in the popularity contest requires users to submit personal data to log in on the French magazine’s official website. While voters can cast as many ballots as they wish, each entry costs an additional euro. Organizers have sweetened the participation drive by offering a raffle for two tickets to attend the 2027 Ballon d’Or ceremony. France Football explicitly established that only players who have secured the prestigious Golden Ball on at least two occasions are eligible for selection among the ten nominated icons. The voting concludes on October 27 at midnight in Paris, and the initiative was launched to commemorate seven decades of the award’s history.
Contrasting Figures in the Global Poll
Early returns show Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2008 triumph dominating the survey with 75 percent of the total support, reflecting a year in which the Portuguese forward captured the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League while netting 42 goals across all competitions. Other early snapshots reported Ronaldo held 62% of the preference. His closest rival in the polling is Lionel Messi’s historic 2012 campaign, which gathered 9% in some early figures, though other reports noted that second-place tally stood at 13%. During that landmark year, Messi set a scoring record by netting 91 goals in 69 matches despite capturing only the Spanish Super Cup. The voting contemplates separately each season a player received the award, meaning the competition also faces different versions of the same figure against each other. Additional tallies show Ronaldo’s 2007 season at 7% and his 2016 campaign at 2%, while his 2013 and 2014 editions register 1%, matching the 1% recorded by Messi’s 2009, 2011, 2015, and 2019 editions. Messi’s 2023 campaign reached 9% of the votes after he won Ligue 1 and the French Super Cup with Paris Saint-Germain alongside the World Cup with the Argentina national team, recording 21 goals and 20 assists in 41 matches for the French club.
Ten Historic Figures Compete for the Trophy
The shortlisted candidates comprise ten historic figures who lifted the prestigious trophy multiple times during their careers. The official lineup features Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini, Marco van Basten, Alfredo Di Stéfano, Franz Beckenbauer, Ronaldo Nazário, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, and Kevin Keegan. Diego Maradona and Pelé were excluded from the ballot because the award was historically restricted to European players during the majority of their playing days.
Distinction From Past Trophies and Career Milestones
Event organizers clarified that the popular vote will not result in a physical trophy or an official ceremony accolade, describing it instead as a digital exercise designed to celebrate fan engagement. The publication also emphasized that the initiative has no connection to the historic Super Ballon d’Or awarded to Alfredo Di Stéfano in 1989. Beyond the digital ballot, both modern icons continue to approach the milestone of 1,000 career goals, with Messi sitting at 936 goals in 1,180 matches and Ronaldo boasting 981 goals in 1,340 appearances.
Frequently Asked Questions About the B.O.A.T. Poll
When does the voting period officially close?
The submission window shuts on Tuesday, October 27, at 23:59 Paris time.
When will the final results be announced?
France Football scheduled the public release of the voting outcome for Wednesday, October 28.
Does this poll grant an official historical trophy?
No, the organizers clarified that the initiative is strictly a popular vote for fan engagement and does not confer a physical award or official ceremony recognition.
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