A look at the top five footballers who have won the Ballon d'Or the most times in history, with Lionel Messi having won it the most.
On 27 Oct 2026 GMT+7, we examine the top five footballers with the most Ballon d'Or awards in history. Lionel Messi leads with a record 8 wins, followed by his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo with 5 awards. Three players share the third place.
1.) Lionel Messi (Argentina) - 8 times
Years won: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023
2.) Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) - 5 times
Years won: 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017
3.) Michel Platini (France) - 3 times
Years won: 1983, 1984, 1985
4.) Johan Cruyff (Netherlands) - 3 times
Years won: 1971, 1973, 1974
5.) Marco van Basten (Netherlands) - 3 times
Years won: 1988, 1989, 1992