Some men collect an award and give a speech. Cristiano Ronaldo collected one and went to work. A day after being named the first Ballon d’Or of All Time winner, the Al Nassr captain scored a second-half hat-trick, like a man closing his own argument in court. Here is everything about the Ronaldo BOAT award and the night that followed.
What Is the BOAT Award?
BOAT stands for Ballon d’Or of All Time. It was a fan poll celebrating the award’s 70th anniversary, where supporters picked their favourite Ballon d’Or-winning season. Voting ran from October 1 to 27, and the result came on October 28.
Ronaldo’s 2008 season won, with Lionel Messi’s 2012 second and Ronaldo’s 2017 third. One honest note for the record: the BOAT is a symbolic fan-voted distinction, not a journalist-decided trophy.
Why Ronaldo’s 2008 Season Won
That year Ronaldo fired Manchester United to the Premier League and Champions League titles, scoring 42 goals, 31 of them in the league. Fans looked at every legendary Ballon d’Or season and chose that one.
Ronaldo Thanks the Fans
The reaction was classic Ronaldo, with a dose of humility. He wrote that football belongs to the fans and that the Ballon d’Or of All Time is theirs too. A five-time Ballon d’Or winner handing the credit to the supporters is a reminder that the crowd makes the legend.
The Ronaldo Hat-Trick: Al Nassr 5-3 Al Kholood
Thursday night in Riyadh was pure drama. Al Kholood stunned the home crowd with an early goal, Al Nassr hit back through Angelo and Sadio Mane, and the visitors levelled in added time before the break. Ronaldo had two first-half efforts ruled out. Then the second half belonged to him.
He tapped in his first in the 66th minute from a Joao Felix assist, headed home six minutes later, and completed the treble in the 81st after Mane squared the ball. That is three goals in 15 minutes. Felix finished with four assists, only the third player to do that in a Saudi Pro League match. Ronaldo summed it up himself: “Happy to help with a hat-trick!”
Ronaldo 985 Goals: The Road to 1,000
At 41, Ronaldo now has 985 career goals, just 15 short of the historic 1,000 mark. It was his first hat-trick of the current season. Call it discipline, call it grace, call it obsession. Whatever it is, it has not faded.
What It Means for Al Nassr
Al Nassr are on 28 points, level with Al Qadsiah, who lead on goal difference after their 6-0 win over Al Riyadh. The title race is tight, and Ronaldo is scoring at the right time.
Final Word
Debates about the greatest of all time will never end. Still, an award on Wednesday and a hat-trick on Thursday is a strong answer. Follow ShapHub Sport Blog as Ronaldo chases 1,000.
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