Cristiano Ronaldo Wins Best Of All Time Award from UEFA

Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the Best Of All Time (BOAT) by UEFA and France Football, winning a public vote against Lionel Messi and other legendary players who have won the Ballon d'Or at least twice. The voting concluded in the early hours of Tuesday into Wednesday, with fans participating by paying one euro per vote through the official Ballon d'Or website.

Ronaldo's victory is linked to his 2008 Ballon d'Or award, which he won while playing for Manchester United, finishing ahead of Messi and Fernando Torres. Messi, who has a record eight Ballon d'Or titles, finished second in the BOAT vote for his 2012 edition.

Ronaldo also secured third place for his 2017 award, making him the only player to occupy multiple positions in the final standings. The shortlist included ten candidates, representing over six decades of football excellence, featuring Johan Cruyff, Marco van Basten, Michel Platini, Ronaldo Nazário, Franz Beckenbauer, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Kevin Keegan, and Alfredo Di Stéfano, all of whom are two-time Ballon d'Or winners.

Messi, who finished fifth, did not attend the ceremony, opting instead to participate in a local football competition in the USA.