The players with the most Ballons d'Or
The top 3 according to 7 votes from people: Lionel Messi · Cristiano Ronaldo · Michel Platini. (Updated Feb 16, 2026.)
The biggest winners of France Football's Ballon d'Or, with the years of each award, plus the other best-remembered winners (Brazilians included), up to the 2025 edition.
Automatically translated (original in Português). See the original
Top 20
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1
Lionel Messi
Argentina. 8 Ballons d'Or: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023. The all-time record holder; also runner-up five times.
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2
Cristiano Ronaldo
Portugal. 5 Ballons d'Or: 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017. And runner-up six times.
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3
Michel Platini
France. 3 Ballons d'Or: 1983, 1984, 1985. Three in a row, with Juventus.
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4
Johan Cruyff
Netherlands. 3 Ballons d'Or: 1971, 1973, 1974.
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5
George Weah
Liberia. 1 Ballon d'Or: 1995. The only African winner; he later became president of Liberia.
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6
Luka Modrić
Croatia. 1 Ballon d'Or: 2018. Broke ten years of Messi and Ronaldo dominance.
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7
Gerd Müller
Germany. 1 Ballon d'Or: 1970.
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8
Marco van Basten
Netherlands. 3 Ballons d'Or: 1988, 1989, 1992.
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9
Franz Beckenbauer
Germany. 2 Ballons d'Or: 1972, 1976.
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10
Ronaldo Nazário
Brazil. 2 Ballons d'Or: 1997, 2002. The first Brazilian winner, in 1997, with Inter Milan.
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11
Alfredo Di Stéfano
Argentina and Spain. 2 Ballons d'Or: 1957, 1959.
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12
Kevin Keegan
England. 2 Ballons d'Or: 1978, 1979. Won both while playing for Hamburg.
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13
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
Germany. 2 Ballons d'Or: 1980, 1981.
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14
Ronaldinho
Brazil. 1 Ballon d'Or: 2005. With Barcelona.
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15
Kaká
Brazil. 1 Ballon d'Or: 2007. With Milan; the last before the Messi-Ronaldo era.
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16
Rivaldo
Brazil. 1 Ballon d'Or: 1999. With Barcelona.
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17
Zinedine Zidane
France. 1 Ballon d'Or: 1998. The year France won the World Cup.
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18
Lev Yashin
Soviet Union. 1 Ballon d'Or: 1963. The only goalkeeper to win the Ballon d'Or.
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19
Karim Benzema
France. 1 Ballon d'Or: 2022.
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20
Rodri
Spain. 1 Ballon d'Or: 2024. With Manchester City.
Candidates
They don't make it into the top 20… yet. Vote for them to move them up.
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21
Ousmane Dembélé
France. 1 Ballon d'Or: 2025. After PSG's first Champions League title.
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22
Eusébio
Portugal. 1 Ballon d'Or: 1965.
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23
Roberto Baggio
Italy. 1 Ballon d'Or: 1993.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
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Comments (4)
Messi com 8 Bolas de Ouro, ninguém nunca vai chegar perto.
Ronaldinho em 2005 era o melhor jogador que eu já vi jogar.
Kaká foi o último a ganhar antes da era Messi-CR7, orgulho brasileiro.
Ronaldo Fenômeno merecia mais que duas.