Cristiano Ronaldo has beaten Lionel Messi and a host of football legends to win the inaugural Ballon d’Or ‘BOAT’ award.
In a brand new category introduced for this year’s edition, Ronaldo has been awarded the prize which crowns the greatest Ballon d’Or winner of all time.
While Harry Kane enjoyed an historic triumph in the main category, the Portuguese icon was among ten legendary players nominated for the Ballon d’Or of All Time [BOAT] award. 
This pitted previous multiple-time winners of the award against each other in a fan vote.
With Ronaldo a five-time recipient of the individual prize, he was up against some greats of the game, including generational rival Messi.
Also in the running were the Netherlands’ Marco van Basten and France’s Michel Platini – each with three Ballon d’Or crowns – plus Barcelona icon Johan Cruyff, who also won a trio of golden balls.
Brazil 2002 World Cup winner Ronaldo Nazario, Germany great Franz Beckenbauer, Newcastle and Liverpool icon Kevin Keegan, Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano and Germany’s Karl-Heinz Rummenigge completed the list of contenders.
But it was Portugal’s Ronaldo who triumphed in the all-time category, adding yet another individual award to his huge collection.
Ronaldo scoops prestigious prize
After a fan vote, Ronaldo’s 2008 Ballon d’Or season finished first, with eight-time winner Messi’s 2012 season coming in second.
The Al Nassr forward also took third-place for his 2017 award – the last time he won football’s ultimate individual prize.
Ronaldo claimed the first Ballon d’Or of his career in 2008, seeing off Messi and former Liverpool star Fernando Torres after a standout campaign with Manchester United.
In the 2007/08 season, the football megastar scored 42 goals in all competitions to help Sir Alex Ferguson‘s side to Premier League and Champions League glory.
