Cristiano Ronaldo is dominating a special Ballon d’Or anniversary poll, but even an overwhelming victory will not earn the Portuguese superstar another trophy. France Football, the organisation behind the prestigious award, has clarified that the public vote is purely a celebratory initiative and has no connection to the historic Super Ballon d’Or.
The clarification comes after confusion spread among football supporters over the newly introduced Ballon d’Or of All Time (BOAT) poll, launched to mark the 70th anniversary of the award.
With this year’s main Ballon d’Or ceremony scheduled for Monday, 26 October, the launch of the initiative just days beforehand prompted speculation that organisers might be preparing to revive the Super Ballon d’Or, one of football’s rarest individual distinctions.
France Football has now dismissed those suggestions, explaining that the initiative is intended to celebrate supporters’ passion for football rather than introduce another official honour.
The anniversary poll allows supporters to select their favourite individual season from a shortlist featuring ten players who have won the Ballon d’Or more than once.
The candidates include Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazário, Marco van Basten, Michel Platini, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Kevin Keegan, Franz Beckenbauer, Johan Cruyff and Alfredo Di Stéfano.
Unlike the traditional Ballon d’Or, the anniversary vote does not assess players’ entire careers or compare the number of individual awards they have won.
Instead, supporters are being asked to consider specific seasons in which these footballers delivered exceptional performances.
The voting system is also unusual. Each vote costs €1, and there is no restriction on how many times an individual supporter can participate.
This means fans can cast repeated votes for their preferred campaign, potentially strengthening a particular candidate’s position through multiple paid entries.
Consequently, the standings reflect the total number of votes submitted rather than necessarily representing the preferences of an equivalent number of individual supporters.
The arrangement has attracted attention, particularly among supporters of Ronaldo and Messi, whose achievements have shaped debates about footballing greatness for nearly two decades.
Questions about the purpose of the initiative also emerged on social media, where some supporters interpreted the anniversary poll as a possible return of the Super Ballon d’Or.
Responding to the speculation, France Football explained that BOAT is entirely a public voting initiative created to celebrate the enthusiasm and emotional connection of football supporters.
The organisation stressed that the winning entry would not receive a physical trophy and that the poll would not form part of the official awards presented during the Ballon d’Or ceremony.
The final results are scheduled to be announced on 28 October, two days after the main ceremony.
France Football also explained why the anniversary initiative should not be confused with the Super Ballon d’Or, a special award that occupies a unique place in football history.
The Super Ballon d’Or was presented only once, in December 1989, to recognise an exceptional footballer from among multiple Ballon d’Or winners over the preceding three decades.
Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stéfano received the honour, finishing ahead of fellow football icons Johan Cruyff and Michel Platini.
Di Stéfano remains the only recipient of the award, which has never been presented again.
The Argentine-born forward, who represented both Argentina and Spain internationally, played a central role in establishing Real Madrid as a dominant force in European football during the 1950s.
His remarkable achievements included helping the Spanish club win five consecutive European Cups between 1956 and 1960.
Although supporters have periodically discussed the possibility of another Super Ballon d’Or, no official date has been announced for a future presentation.
The current BOAT poll, France Football insists, does not indicate that the historic honour is being revived.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo’s outstanding 2008 campaign has emerged as the clear favourite in the anniversary voting.
According to the reported standings, the former Manchester United forward’s performances that year have attracted approximately 75 per cent of the votes.
The 2007–08 season remains one of the defining periods of Ronaldo’s illustrious career.
Playing under Sir Alex Ferguson, he scored 42 goals in all competitions as Manchester United secured both the Premier League title and the UEFA Champions League.
His exceptional attacking performances established him among the world’s leading footballers and helped him secure the first Ballon d’Or of his career in 2008.
Ronaldo would eventually win the prestigious individual award five times, cementing his place among the most decorated players in football history.
His 2008 achievements are particularly significant because they marked his transformation from a highly talented young winger into one of the most prolific and influential attacking players in European football.
Lionel Messi’s 2012 and 2013 campaigns are among the other notable entries in the poll, with each reportedly receiving nine per cent of the votes.
Messi’s 2012 performances were especially remarkable. The Argentine scored 91 goals for Barcelona and his national team during the calendar year, setting a record for the highest number of goals scored by a player in a single calendar year.
That extraordinary achievement remains one of the most celebrated individual goalscoring records in football.
The comparison between Ronaldo’s 2008 season and Messi’s remarkable campaigns has once again encouraged discussion among supporters about the greatest individual performances in the sport’s history.
However, France Football’s clarification establishes a distinction between celebrating memorable achievements through public participation and awarding an official sporting honour.
The anniversary vote is designed to recognise supporters’ favourite seasons, not determine the greatest footballer of all time through an established awards process.
Consequently, even if Ronaldo maintains his commanding advantage until the poll closes, he will not receive another Ballon d’Or or a Super Ballon d’Or trophy.
The final announcement on 28 October will simply reveal which individual season attracted the greatest number of votes in France Football’s special anniversary celebration.
