Often hailed as one of the most prestigious honours in the world of professional football, the Won Ballon d’Or Award is undoubtedly one of the biggest aspirations for the majority of football players out there. The glorious history of football that spans over decades has witnessed numerous legendary football players taking the prestigious Ballon d’Or award home. However, only a few football stalwarts have succeeded in claiming the award after turning thirty. From Lionel Messi to Karim Benzema, only a handful of veteran football players have been able to defy the odds of their age and clinch the coveted Ballon d’Or award.
In this article we will take a look at the top four veteran football players who have etched their names in the glorious history of the game after clinching the prestigious Ballon d’Or after turning thirty.
Top 4 Football Players Who Won The Most Ballon d’Or Awards After Turning 30
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Lionel Messi – 4 Ballon d’Ors
Often popularly hailed as one of the greatest football players of all-time, the Argentine professional footballer, Lionel Messi, who plays as a forward for and captains both Major League Soccer club Inter Miami and the Argentina national team, is at the first spot in our list of the top four legendary football players who clinched the prestigious Ballon d’Or award after turning thirty for multiple times.
Throughout his glorious professional football career so far, Lionel Messi has successfully clinched the prestigious Ballon d’Or eight times for Argentina, speaking volumes about his unmatched legacy in the game. The flag bearer of Argentina, Lionel Messi, has clinched four Ballon d’Ors after crossing the age of thirty in the years 2019, 2021 and 2023.
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Cristiano Ronaldo – 1 Ballon d’Or
At the second spot in our list of the top four veteran football players who have etched their names in the glorious history of the game after clinching the prestigious Ballon d’Or after turning thirty, we have the legendary Portuguese professional football player Cristiano Ronaldo, who is often hailed as the G.O.A.T (Greatest Of All Time) by the hardcore football aficionados.
As of July 2025, Cristiano Ronaldo has successfully clinched a total of five Ballon d’Ors in his star-studded career. Interestingly, even after turning thirty, Cristiano Ronaldo has succeeded in maintaining his lethal form on the field and clinched the prestigious Ballon d’Or in 2017 at the age of thirty-two.
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Karim Benzema – 1 Ballon d’Or
Next, at the third spot in our list of the top four legendary football players who clinched the prestigious Ballon d’Or award after turning thirty, we have the iconic French professional football player Karim Benzema, who plays as a striker for and captains Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad. Widely regarded as one of the greatest strikers of all-time, Karim Benzema has clinched the coveted Ballon d’Or in 2022 at the age of thirty-four, speaking volumes about his unwavering dominance on the field that transcends beyond the bounds of age and injuries.
During the 2021–22 season, Karim Benzema fearlessly led Real Madrid to La Liga and Champions League triumphs with clutch goals and captaincy, establishing himself as the fifth-oldest Ballon d’Or winner.
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Johan Cruyff – 1 Ballon d’Or
Finally, at the fourth spot in our list of the top four veteran football players who have successfully clinched the prestigious Ballon d’Or, after turning thirty, we have the legendary Dutch professional football player and manager, Hendrik Johannes Cruijff popularly referred to as “Johan Cruyff”. Often still hailed as one of the greatest players in history and as the greatest Dutch footballer ever, Johan Cruyff clinched a total of three Ballon d’Ors throughout his glorious professional football career and clinched the honour for the last time in 1974 at the age of thirty and also successfully led the Netherlands to the World Cup final in the same year.
