On December 2, 2008, Cristiano Ronaldo claimed the first Ballon d’Or of his career, marking the beginning of one of football’s most iconic eras.
The final rankings for the award were:
🥇 Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
🥈 Lionel Messi (Argentina)
🥉 Fernando Torres (Spain)
That triumph would go on to be the first of Ronaldo’s five Ballon d’Or titles, solidifying his status among the greatest players in the history of the sport.