Cristiano Ronaldo Wins Fan Vote for Greatest Ballon d'Or Ever
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A new public vote has named the greatest Ballon d'Or season of all time. The Ballon d'Or is one of football's most important individual prizes, given each year to the world's best player.
Fans around the world took part in the vote, choosing which past Ballon d'Or-winning season they thought was the greatest. Cristiano Ronaldo came out on top, with fans selecting his 2008 season at Manchester United as the best in history.
Lionel Messi, Ronaldo's long-time rival, finished in second place. The two players have dominated world football for many years and have won numerous major awards between them.
This vote marked the first inaugural edition of what organisers are calling the BOAT award, meaning 'Best of All Time'. Full rankings of the other seasons included in the vote were also released.
The result highlights how Ronaldo's 2008 campaign, which included strong form in both domestic and European competitions with Manchester United, is still remembered fondly by football fans more than fifteen years later.
While Messi has often been seen as Ronaldo's closest rival for the title of greatest player ever, this particular public vote gave the edge to Ronaldo's standout season.
Vocabulary10 words
- public vote
- when ordinary people choose a winner by voting
- Ballon d'Or
- a famous yearly prize for the best football player
- Cristiano Ronaldo
- a very successful professional football player
- Manchester United
- a well-known football club in England
- Lionel Messi
- another very successful professional football player
- inaugural
- describing the first time an event happens
- BOAT
- short way to say 'Best of All Time'
- rankings
- a list showing order from best to worst
- rival
- someone who competes against another person
- campaign
- a period of playing matches, like a season
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Quiz
Answer key
1. The greatest Ballon d'Or season of all time 2. His 2008 season at Manchester United 3. Best of All Time
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Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
A new _____ has named the greatest Ballon d'Or season of all time. The Ballon d'Or is one of football's most important individual prizes.
Fans around the world took part in the vote, choosing which past Ballon d'Or-winning season they thought was the greatest. _____ came out on top, with fans selecting his _____ season at _____ as the best in history.
_____, Ronaldo's long-time rival, finished in second place. The two players have dominated world football for many years.
This vote marked the first _____ edition of what organisers are calling the _____ award, meaning 'Best of All Time'. Full _____ of the other seasons included in the vote were also released.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think fans chose Ronaldo's 2008 season as the greatest?
- Do you think public votes are a fair way to judge the best football season ever? Why or why not?
- What makes Ronaldo and Messi's rivalry so famous in football?
- Would you have voted differently? Which player or season would you choose?
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