Cristiano Ronaldo has endured a challenging few weeks after his fallout with Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus over his playing time, which led to him leaving the national team’s camp and receiving a provisional suspension from the Portuguese Football Federation. The controversy has raised questions about his international future, with criticism from former teammate Wayne Rooney adding to the pressure surrounding the 41-year-old. However, amid the uncertainty, Ronaldo has received a welcome boost, as his 2008 Ballon d’Or-winning season is reportedly dominating a special fan contest ahead of Lionel Messi’s 2012 campaign.

The latest development emerged on October 18, when reports revealed that Ronaldo’s 2008 season was leading the official Ballon d’Or platform’s B.O.A.T. competition with 62% of the votes, while Messi’s 2012 campaign had reportedly received 13%. The contest invites fans to vote for the greatest Ballon d’Or-winning season in history.

Ronaldo won his first Ballon d’Or in 2008 while playing for Manchester United, scoring 42 goals across all competitions and helping the club win both the Premier League and UEFA Champions League. Nearly two decades later, that campaign is receiving renewed attention as supporters compare it with the finest seasons produced by football’s biggest names.

The competition features 10 multiple-time Ballon d’Or winners, including Ronaldo, Messi, Ronaldo Nazário, Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer and Marco van Basten. Unlike the traditional award, which is decided by a jury of football journalists, this special contest allows supporters to vote for a specific winning season. Each vote costs €1, and fans can vote multiple times for the same player. Voting is scheduled to close on October 27, with the final results expected the following day.

While Ronaldo is reportedly leading the contest, Messi remains ahead of his longtime rival in the overall Ballon d’Or tally, having won the award eight times to Ronaldo’s five. Messi claimed the honor in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023, while Ronaldo won it in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017. 

For Ronaldo, the reported lead offers a welcome moment of recognition at a time when his relationship with Portugal’s coaching staff is under scrutiny. 

Wayne Rooney slams Cristiano Ronaldo over Portugal fallout with Jorge Jesus

The dispute with Jesus reportedly began after Ronaldo remained on the bench throughout Portugal’s 2-1 Nations League win over Norway on September 27. According to Ronaldo, the coach had told him he would play for around 30 minutes. The forward warmed up from half-time but was never brought onto the pitch, leaving him frustrated over what he believed had been agreed between them.

The disagreement escalated when Ronaldo claimed that Jesus had broken his word and failed to honour their private understanding about how the situation would be explained publicly. Ronaldo subsequently left Portugal’s training camp ahead of the match against Denmark on September 30. In a statement published on October 6, Ronaldo accused Jesus of breaking his word twice, while insisting that he had never demanded playing time and had respected the coach’s decisions.

He apologised to his teammates and Portuguese supporters for leaving the camp and accepted that his actions could have consequences. On October 10, the Portuguese Football Federation confirmed that disciplinary proceedings had been opened and that Ronaldo had been provisionally suspended. Despite the dispute, the forward maintained that he remained willing to represent Portugal after serving any punishment.

The situation drew a strong response from former Manchester United teammate Wayne Rooney, who criticised Ronaldo’s decision to leave the squad and publicly address the disagreement.

“To leave the Portugal squad in that way and then release that statement, from my point of view, it was wrong in every sense,” Rooney said.

Rooney also questioned whether Ronaldo was finding it difficult to accept that his role in the national team could change as younger players took on greater responsibility. He suggested that every player eventually has to face the later stages of their career, regardless of their past achievements. “Unfortunately, he’s not dealing with it well, and it’s getting uncomfortable to see,” Rooney said.

With criticism mounting over his Portugal fallout, Ronaldo will be hoping his reported lead over Messi brings a welcome win, even as questions about his international future continue to grow.