Ronaldo's 2008 season wins fan-voted B.O.A.T. award ahead of Messi's 2012
Cristiano Ronaldo's 2007-08 Manchester United season won France Football's fan-voted "Ballon d'Or of All Time" (B.O.A.T.), ahead of Lionel Messi's 2012. The vote was symbolic and not an official Ballon d'Or; Gulf News stressed that fans paid €1 per vote.
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The story, neutrally told
Centre · 2Cristiano Ronaldo's 2007-08 season at Manchester United was voted the greatest Ballon d'Or-winning campaign in the inaugural Ballon d'Or of All Time (B.O.A.T.) fan vote run by France Football. Anadolu AgencyN “Portuguese football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has won the "Ballon d'Or of All Time" fan vote organized by France Football, finishing ahead of longtime rival Lionel Messi.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Gulf NewsN “with his incredible 2008 season at Manchester United voted the greatest Ballon d'Or winning” Read at Gulf News ↗ Centre · 1Lionel Messi finished second for his 2012 season with Barcelona, when he scored a record 91 goals in a calendar year, and Ronaldo's 2017 season with Real Madrid came third. Gulf NewsN “Ronaldo's 2008 campaign finished first, ahead of Messi's remarkable 2012 season, when the Argentine scored a record 91 goals in a calendar year.” Read at Gulf News ↗ Gulf NewsN “Ronaldo's 2017 Ballon d'Or winning season with Real Madrid finished third.” Read at Gulf News ↗ Centre · 2The award was created to mark the 70th anniversary of the Ballon d'Or. Anadolu Agency described a month-long online vote in which supporters chose the greatest individual season among previous winners, and Gulf News said eligible players had to have won the Ballon d'Or at least twice. Gulf NewsN “Fans were invited to vote for their favourite Ballon d'Or winning season from players who had won the prestigious award at least twice.” Read at Gulf News ↗ Anadolu AgencyN “following a month-long online vote in which supporters selected the greatest individual season among previous Ballon d'Or winners” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗
Centre · 1Ronaldo scored 42 goals in all competitions in 2007-08 as United won the Premier League and the Champions League. Gulf News adds that 31 of those came in the league, earning him the European Golden Shoe, and that he was 23 when he won his first Ballon d'Or in 2008. Gulf NewsN “He scored an astonishing 42 goals across all competitions for Manchester United during the 2007/08 season.”“scoring 31 goals in the English top flight to claim the European Golden Shoe” Read at Gulf News ↗ Centre · 1Gulf News reported that each vote cost €1 and fans could vote repeatedly. It cited the organisers as saying 5,009 participants voted more than once, including 44 who cast between 10 and 26 votes each. Its writer called charging for votes "questionable" and said a paid popularity contest is "no way" to decide the greatest season. Gulf NewsN “Each vote cost €1, and supporters were allowed to vote multiple times.”“According to the organisers, 5,009 participants voted more than once, including 44 who cast between 10 and 26 votes each.”“However, charging fans to vote, while allowing them to vote multiple times, is questionable.” Read at Gulf News ↗ Centre · 2All coverage says the result is symbolic. It is not an additional official Ballon d'Or, Ronaldo still has five to Messi's record eight, and Gulf News adds that it is not the Super Ballon d'Or, which was given once, to Alfredo Di Stéfano in 1989, and that no physical trophy was awarded. Anadolu AgencyN “The fan vote was a symbolic initiative marking the Ballon d'Or's 70th anniversary and does not count as an additional official award.”“Ronaldo has won five Ballon d'Or awards. Messi holds the record with eight.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Gulf NewsN “The BOAT is not the Super Ballon d'Or, nor does it count as another official Ballon d'Or victory for Ronaldo.” Read at Gulf News ↗
Centre · 2On Thursday 29 October, Ronaldo, 41 and now with Al Nassr, thanked supporters, writing "Football belongs to the fans! Thank you to all the fans around the world." Gulf News says he posted on X; Anadolu says Instagram. Gulf NewsN “"Football belongs to the fans! Thank you to all the fans around the world. Ballon D’Or of All Time is also yours," Ronaldo wrote.”“The Portuguese superstar took to X on Thursday, October 29” Read at Gulf News ↗ Anadolu AgencyN “Ronaldo wrote Thursday on US social media platform Instagram.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Centre · 1The Portuguese Football Federation congratulated its captain, saying: "From 2008 to eternity. The greatest Ballon d'Or winner of all time is Portuguese." Anadolu AgencyN “"From 2008 to eternity. The greatest Ballon d'Or winner of all time is Portuguese. Congratulations, captain!" it said.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre2 outlets
- Framing
- Gulf News leads with the paid-vote twist and questions the award's value. Anadolu Agency reports it as a straightforward result with reactions.
- Emphasis
- Gulf News stresses the €1-per-vote, multiple-voting format and that the result is no definitive verdict; Anadolu stresses the result, Ronaldo's and the Portuguese federation's reactions, and the medal counts.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Anadolu does not mention the €1 cost or the repeat voting. Gulf News does not quote the Portuguese federation. The outlets differ on which platform Ronaldo used.
- Charged language
- “paid popularity contest”“interesting twist”“questionable”
- For example
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“a paid popularity contest is certainly no way to decide the greatest Ballon d'Or winning season of all time.” — Gulf News
“The fan vote was a symbolic initiative marking the Ballon d'Or's 70th anniversary and does not count as an additional official award.” — Anadolu Agency
“the result should not be considered a definitive judgement on the greatest player in football history.” — Gulf News
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Ronaldo's 2007-08 Manchester United season won the B.O.A.T. fan vote, ahead of Messi's 2012 season.
- Ronaldo scored 42 goals in all competitions in 2007-08 and won the Premier League and Champions League.
- The vote marks the Ballon d'Or's 70th anniversary and is symbolic, not an official extra Ballon d'Or.
- Ronaldo has five Ballon d'Or awards.
- Ronaldo thanked fans with the message that football belongs to them.
Where accounts differ
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Which platform Ronaldo used for his message
- Centre
- Gulf News says X; Anadolu Agency says Instagram.
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Whether the paid voting undermines the result
- Centre
- Gulf News calls paid, repeatable voting questionable and says the result is no definitive judgement. Anadolu does not mention the cost.
Cristiano Ronaldo person
Ronaldo framed the win as shared with supporters, saying football belongs to the fans and the award is theirs too.
“"Football belongs to the fans! Thank you to all the fans around the world. Ballon D’Or of All Time is also yours," Ronaldo wrote.” — Gulf News
Lionel Messi person
Messi's 2012 season, with its record 91 calendar-year goals, finished second. The coverage includes no comment from him.
“Messi finished second for his record-breaking 2012 campaign with Barcelona.” — Anadolu Agency
B.O.A.T. award other
France Football created the B.O.A.T. as a symbolic fan vote for the Ballon d'Or's 70th anniversary. It is not an official additional award, and no trophy was presented.
“The BOAT is a symbolic fan poll, with no physical trophy presented as part of the annual ceremony.” — Gulf News
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre3 articles
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Ronaldo wins BOAT ahead of Messi in paid fan vote, but what is it?
Critical Explainer that sets out the €1 paid, multiple-vote format and questions the award's legitimacy while praising Ronaldo's 2008 season.
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'Football belongs to the fans': Cristiano Ronaldo reacts to BOAT win over Messi
Mixed Reports Ronaldo's thanks to fans, with a caution that the result is not a definitive judgement.
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Ronaldo beats Messi in fan vote for ‘Ballon d’Or of All Time’
Neutral Brief factual report of the result, Ronaldo's and the Portuguese federation's reactions, and the symbolic status of the vote.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 29 Oct 01:30 First Gulf NewsN Ronaldo wins BOAT ahead of Messi in paid fan vote, but what is it?
- 29 Oct 14:12 +12h 43m Gulf NewsN 'Football belongs to the fans': Cristiano Ronaldo reacts to BOAT win over Messi
- 29 Oct 17:36 +16h 7m Anadolu AgencyN Ronaldo beats Messi in fan vote for ‘Ballon d’Or of All Time’
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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