Cristiano Ronaldo has beaten Lionel Messi and a host of the game's legends to win the "BOAT" award, a prize launched by UEFA and France Football magazine to crown the greatest player in the history of Ballon d'Or winners.
His triumph, according to the official Ballon d'Or award website, came thanks to the edition he won in 2008 as a Manchester United player. It adds another honour to a glittering career after he topped a public vote run through the Ballon d'Or website, which charged one euro per vote.
Messi, an eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, finished second for the 2012 edition, with Ronaldo also taking third for his 2017 award. The vote closed in the early hours between Tuesday and Wednesday.
ballondor.comRonaldo and Messi lead the legends' race
UEFA and France Football let the public pick the winner of the "BOAT" award, an acronym for "Best Of All Time", from ten players who had each won the Ballon d'Or at least twice.
On that list sat Ronaldo, a five-time winner, and Messi, holder of eight titles, alongside the Netherlands' Marco van Basten and France's Michel Platini, each with three, plus the Netherlands' Johan Cruyff with three Ballons d'Or.
Also in contention were Brazil's Ronaldo, Germany's Franz Beckenbauer, England's Kevin Keegan, Argentina's Alfredo Di Stefano and Germany's Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, each a two-time winner.
The first Ballon d'Or: the start of Ronaldo's journey
Ronaldo claimed the first Ballon d'Or of his career in 2008, seeing off Messi and Spain's Fernando Torres during his standout spell with Manchester United.
Four more followed for the Portuguese star, in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017, all of them won at Real Madrid.
Taking part in the "BOAT" vote cost one euro, with voters entered into a draw for two tickets to the 2027 Ballon d'Or ceremony.
Harry Kane, meanwhile, was crowned the world's best player with the Ballon d'Or for 2026. The Bayern Munich and England star received the award at the ceremony in London on Monday.