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#4 Only 2 clubs have taken all top 3 spots in the same year
While winning the Ballon d’Or is quite an achievement, finishing in the top 3 is no mean feat either. And it is only on the rarest of rare occasions that all the top 3 positions are secured by players from a single club.
In fact, that has happened only thrice in the history of the award.
In 1988, when Marco van Basten won his first Ballon d’Or while playing for AC Milan, there was a reason to rejoice for the Rossoneri. That was because alongside Van Basten, Milan players Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard also made it to the top 3. It was the first time that all three players in the top three belonged to the same club.
The following year, Milan once again made the news when three players from the club finished in the top 3. Van Basten finished top once again, while Franco Baresi and Frank Rijkaard finished second and third respectively.
Almost two decades later in 2010, history repeated itself as Lionel Messi lifted his second Ballon d’Or, while Andres Iniesta finished second, with Xavi following in at third. All three played for Barcelona at that time.
