India, Oct. 29 -- Cristiano Ronaldo has beaten Lionel Messi to the inaugural Ballon d'Or of All Time (B.O.A.T.) award, with his 2008 season at Manchester United finishing ahead of the Argentine's remarkable 2012 campaign in a public vote. Ronaldo topped the rankings after a season in which he scored 42 goals across all competitions and helped Manchester United win both the Premier League and UEFA Champions League. Messi finished second for the year in which he scored a record 91 goals for club and country, while Ronaldo's 2017 campaign took third place. The result adds another chapter to one of football's biggest rivalries, with the two superstars accounting for all of the top 12 positions in the final rankings.

The B.O.A.T. award, which...