Top 5 Footballers With Highest Ballon d’Or Award

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Introduced decades back in 1956, Ballon d’Or is an annual football award presented to legendary football players who have performed phenomenally well in the previous season. Presented by the French Magazine “France Football”, the Ballon d’Or award is often hailed as one of the most prestigious individual awards in the world of football and is also considered as football’s highest honor.

As of 2024, Lionel Messi has clinched the Ballon d’Or award for the maximum number of times, i.e. eight, and Cristiano Ronaldo has received the highest number of nominations for the Ballon d’Or award, i.e. eighteen. Apart from the two legendary football players, many other iconic players have also been associated with football’s highest honor – the Ballon d’Or award.

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In this article, we will take a look at the top five football players who have won the Ballon d’Or award.

Top 5 Football Players Who Won Ballon d’Or Award For Highest Times

1. Lionel Messi – Eight Times

At the first spot on our list of top five football players who have won the Ballon d’Or award, we have Argentinian Lionel Messi, who holds the record for winning the Ballon d’Or award for a record total of eight times in the years 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023. Lionel Messi is the current holder of the Ballon d’Or award which he won in 2023.

Although Lionel Messi failed to win the Ballon d’Or 2024 edition, he continues to dominate the league of winners with the highest number of Ballon d’Or awards under his name.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo – Five Times

​The legendary Portuguese football player Cristiano Ronaldo is at the second spot on our list of top five football players who have won the Ballon d’Or award. Often hailed as the greatest football player in the history of the game, Cristiano Ronaldo is undoubtedly one of the most prominent and influential names in the world of football on a global level.

Apart from proving his mettle on the football field, Cristiano Ronaldo has also earned a spot for himself in football’s highest honor – the Ballon d’Or award. As of 2024, Cristiano Ronaldo has received a total of five Ballon d’Or awards, which is the second-highest total after Lionel Messi.

3. Michel Platini – Three Times

At the third spot in our list of top five football players who have won the Ballon d’Or award, we have a former professional football player and the 6th President of UEFA, Michel Platini. Although Michel Platini’s after-retirement career has been full of controversies and ethics violations, which also led to a ban of eight years from involvement in football under FIFA’s organization, the former football player aced his role as an attacking midfielder for Juventus, Saint-Étienne, Nancy, Kuwait and France.

Michel Platini holds a phenomenal record of winning football’s highest honor – the Ballon d’Or award consecutively three times in a row, in 1983, 1984 and 1985.

4. Marco van Basten – Three Times

Former Dutch professional football player Marcel Marco van Basten, popularly known as “Marco” and widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all-time, is in the fourth spot on our list of top five football players who have won the Ballon d’Or award.

Although Marco van Basten was forced to announce an early retirement from football at the age of 30 due to a recurring ankle injury, his contribution to the world of football and the legacy that he has left behind undoubtedly serves as an inspiration for the younger generations of players even today. Marco van Basten was honored with football’s highest honor – the Ballon d’Or award, thrice in the years 1988, 1989 and 1992.

5. Alfredo Di Stéfano – Two Times

Popularly referred to as “Saeta Rubia”, late Aregentinian professional football player Alfredo Di Stéfano is at the fifth spot in our list of top five football players who have won the Ballon d’Or award. Alfredo Di Stéfano is often hailed as the cornerstone of Real Madrid’s success and the core reason for its one-sided domination in the La Liga and European Cup throughout the era of the 1950s and 1960s.

Alfredo Di Stéfano was honored with the Ballon d’Or award twice, in the years 1957 and 1959. Owing to the legacy Alfredo Di Stéfano has left behind, he is undoubtedly one of the greatest football players to have ever been honored with the Ballon d’Or award.

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