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The Ballon d'Or is the most prestigious individual honour in football. It is an award presented by France Football to the best performing player in a calendar year. When the Ballon d'Or started, it only recognized the best player in Europe.
Its ambit was widened in 1995 to include players from around the world who ply their trade in Europe. The winner is chosen via a voting system that involves journalists, national team coaches and captains. Since 2007, the Ballon d'Or has become a global prize that recognizes players from all around the world.
Winning the Ballon d'Or is a dream for any footballer. Getting recognized as the best in the business is no mean feat. As such, it is incredible that quite a few players have won more than one Ballon d'Or.
Without further ado, let's take a look at the five players with the most Ballon d'Or awards.
#5 Marco Van Basten (Netherlands) - 3 Ballon d'Or awards
Dutch footballing sensation Marco Van Basten was forced to retire at the age of 30 due to an injury. Van Basten is among the best finishers the game has ever seen. His skillset was replete with thunderous volleys and towering headers.
He won the Ballon d'Or thrice. The Dutchman first won it in 1988 during his time with AC Milan. He also won the Golden Boot at the 1988 UEFA Euro and led Netherlands to continental glory.
Van Basten won his second Ballon d'Or the following year and then won it again three years later in 1992. He has also won three Eredivisie titles with Ajax. Van Basten has also won the Serie A title four times and the European Cup thrice with AC Milan.
He scored a total of 277 goals and provided 82 assists in 373 matches in his club career.
#4 Michel Platini (France) - 3 Ballon d'Or Awards
Widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, Michel Platini has won the Ballon d'Or thrice. Platini was nicknamed 'El Roy' (The King) for his leadership skills but his conduct during his time as the President of the UEFA in 2015 has tainted his legacy.
The attacking midfielder scored 129 goals and provided 23 assists in 262 appearances in his club career. Platini is renowned for his supreme passing ability. He is also one of the most technically gifted players in the history of the game. Platini was also incredibly intelligent and was excellent at creating opportunities for his teammates.
The Frenchman won the Ballon d'Or in three consecutive years from 1983 to 1985. He was at Juventus when he won all three times. He won the Golden Boot and was chosen as the Best Player of the Tournament as France won the 1984 UEFA European Championship.
#3 Johan Cruyff (Netherlands) - 3 Ballon d'Or Awards
It's hard to find another footballer who has influenced the game as much as Johan Cruyff has. The Ajax and Barcelona legend was poetry in motion on the football pitch as a player and popularized the philosophy of 'total football' as a coach.
He is not only one of the greatest players in the history of the game but also one of the greatest coaches of all time. Cruyff led from the front as a young Netherlands side ambled their way to the 1974 FIFA World Cup final. He was chosen as the Best Player of the Tournament.
Cruyff won eight Eredivisie titles and three European Cups at Ajax before moving to Barcelona. He won the La Liga title in his first season at the Camp Nou and was named the European Footballer of the Year as well.
The Dutchman was a creative and technically astute player whose intelligent movements set him apart. His body feints were so easy on the eye that they named his signature turn ('the Cruyff turn') after him. He won the Ballon d'Or thrice. He won the award in 1971, 1973 and 1974.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) - 5 Ballon d'Or Awards
Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most dominant individuals to have graced the 'beautiful game'. He started his journey to the top at Manchester United under the tutelage of Sir Alex Ferguson. Ronaldo burgeoned into a world-class winger who was also a prolific goalscorer.
He picked up his first Ballon d'Or in 2008 after playing a starring role in Manchester United's Premier League and Champions League triumphs. He then became an icon at Real Madrid and won four Champions League titles with Los Blancos in a nine-year stint.
Ronaldo is the leading goalscorer in the Champions League with 132 goals. He also tops the list for assists provided in Europe's elite competition with 42 to his name. His rivalry with Lionel Messi is one for the ages and it was fun watching the two of them fight for all the top honours during their time together in La Liga.
Cristiano Ronaldo has won the Ballon d'Or five times. He most recently won the Golden Boot at Euro 2020, scoring five goals and providing an assist in four appearances in the continental competition.
#1 Lionel Messi (Argentina) - 6 Ballon d'Or Awards
Lionel Messi has dominated the headlines this week following his Barcelona exit. The legendary Argentine has now joined Paris Saint-Germain and is very much in the running to win another Ballon d'Or this year.
Messi has won the Ballon d'Or a record six times. He has also won the European Golden Shoe six times. Messi is arguably the greatest footballer of all time and is one of the best in the history of the game when it comes to dribbling, passing and shooting.
He finished the 2020-21 La Liga season as the top scorer. Messi then scored four goals and provided five assists as Argentina won the Copa America at the end of a 28-year drought. He won the Golden Boot and the Best Player Award at the continental tournament.
The former Barcelona man has won 10 La Liga titles, four Champions League titles and seven Copa Del Reys. Messi was also chosen as the Best Player at the 2014 World Cup. He has also won the La Liga Best Player Award on six separate occasions.
Taking stock of Messi's achievements could take us all day. So let's leave it at that. Messi is all set to begin a fresh chapter in his career and his arrival makes Paris Saint-Germain arguably the strongest attacking side in Europe.
