Cristiano Ronaldo’s special Ballon d’Or victory over Lionel Messi is facing questions after organisers revealed that 5,009 fans voted more than once in a paid voting system.

Ronaldo Faces Major B.O.A.T. Controversy After Beating Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo’s victory over Lionel Messi in the 2026 Ballon d’Or of All Time (B.O.A.T.) fan vote has sparked major controversy after surprising voting figures were revealed.

The Portuguese superstar finished first with his legendary 2008 season at Manchester United, beating Messi’s record-breaking 2012 campaign with Barcelona.

However, the celebration quickly turned into a debate after the organisers confirmed that thousands of fans had voted more than once.

More than 5,000 fans voted multiple times

According to official figures published on the Ballon d’Or website, 5,009 people submitted more than one vote.

The organisers revealed the following numbers:

• 44 people voted between 10 and 26 times.
• 300 people voted between 5 and 9 times.
• 4,665 people voted between 2 and 4 times.

Each vote required a payment of €1, meaning supporters could increase their voting power by spending more money.

The figures quickly raised questions about the fairness of Ronaldo’s victory, especially among Messi supporters.

Did Ronaldo win the award because of money?

Although the voting system has attracted criticism, there is no confirmed evidence that Ronaldo or his representatives bought votes or manipulated the results.

Importantly, the official Ballon d’Or rules allowed fans to vote multiple times as long as they paid €1 for each entry.

The organisers also stated that an independent third party was responsible for counting the votes.

Therefore, voting more than once was permitted under the rules and does not automatically prove cheating.

It is also unknown how the additional votes were divided between Ronaldo, Messi and the other candidates.

Ronaldo’s victory continues to divide football fans

Ronaldo’s 2008 season finished first in the special vote, while Messi’s 2012 campaign came second. Ronaldo also claimed third place with his 2017 season at Real Madrid.

However, the B.O.A.T. was a special online fan vote rather than another official Ballon d’Or award.

Ronaldo therefore remains a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, while Messi still holds the record with eight trophies.

Despite the controversy, the official result has not been overturned.

The biggest question now is whether a paid voting system can truly decide the greatest Ballon d’Or-winning season in football history.