The Ballon d'Or is widely accepted as one of the most prestigious individual awards in football, with the best players in the world vying for recognition.
Some of the biggest names in the game have gotten their hands on the trophy, including Zinedine Zidane, George Best and Ronaldinho, but only a small number have won it multiple times.
Here, GOAL takes a look at who has won the most Ballons d'Or.
Which player has won the most Ballons d’Or?
Lionel Messi is the most decorated player in the history of the Ballon d’Or award, with eight titles.
Cristiano Ronaldo is behind him in second, having won it five times, while Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten each won it three times.
You can see the list of multiple Ballons d'Or winners below.
| Rank | Player | No. of Ballons d'Or | Years won |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lionel Messi | 8 | 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023 |
| 2 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 5 | 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 |
| =3 | Michel Platini | 3 | 1983, 1984, 1985 |
| =3 | Johan Cruyff | 3 | 1971, 1973, 1974 |
| =3 | Marco van Basten | 3 | 1988, 1989, 1992 |
| =5 | Franz Beckenbauer | 2 | 1972, 1976 |
| =5 | Ronaldo | 2 | 1997, 2002 |
| =5 | Alfredo di Stefano | 2 | 1957, 1959 |
| =5 | Kevin Keegan | 2 | 1978, 1979 |
| =5 | Karl-Heinz Rummenigge | 2 | 1980, 1981 |
How many Ballons d’Or has Lionel Messi won?
GettyAfter finishing second behind Ronaldo in the rankings in 2008, Messi picked up his first Ballon d’Or one year later.
It was the first of four in a row the then-Barcelona star would claim as his rivalry with the Portuguese attacker dominated elite football.
He lost out to Ronaldo in 2013 and 2014 before being named No.1 again the following year. He had to wait until 2015 for his fifth award, then the sixth came along in 2019. The Argentina star further padded his tally in 2021 and 2023, moving up to eight in his career.
| Year | Winner | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Lionel Messi | Erling Haaland | Kylian Mbappe |
| 2021 | Lionel Messi | Robert Lewandowski | Jorginho |
| 2019 | Lionel Messi | Virgil van Dijk | Cristiano Ronaldo |
| 2015 | Lionel Messi | Cristiano Ronaldo | Neymar |
| 2012 | Lionel Messi | Cristiano Ronaldo | Andres Iniesta |
| 2011 | Lionel Messi | Cristiano Ronaldo | Xavi |
| 2010 | Lionel Messi | Andres Iniesta | Xavi |
| 2009 | Lionel Messi | Cristiano Ronaldo | Xavi |
How many Ballons d’Or has Cristiano Ronaldo won?
GettyRonaldo made the top three for the first time in 2007, but came in second behind AC Milan icon Kaka that year.
Twelve months later, Ronaldo’s dream became a reality as he was crowned for the first time, but it would be several years of near misses before he would claim his second award.
He then went on to win the 2014, 2016 and 2017 awards as his battle with Messi continued.
| Year | Winner | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi | Neymar |
| 2016 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi | Antoine Griezmann |
| 2014 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi | Manuel Neuer |
| 2013 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi | Franck Ribery |
| 2008 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi | Fernando Torres |
How many Ballons d’Or has Pele won?
Brazil phenomenon Pele was never given the Ballon d’Or because of a rule preventing non-European players from winning it until that policy was overturned in 1995.
But France Football revealed that the three-time World Cup winner would have seven titles to his name had he been eligible, which would have made him the record holder until Messi scooped his seventh in 2021.
The years the Ballon d'Or publication says Pele would have won are: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964 and 1970.