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In a professional footballer's career, the Ballon d'Or is the ultimate individual award. The award is given to the best footballer in the world for a period of one year.
Aside from winning the Ballon d'Or, however, the two biggest prizes in football are the FIFA World Cup and UEFA Champions League trophies. For a player to manage to pick up a winner's medal in these competitions and the Ballon d'Or is a rarity.
Despite their greatness, Pele, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Diego Maradona have never accomplished this feat. These four players are widely regarded as the greatest to ever play the game, but even they have failed to achieve this remarkable feat.
Success in international football, club football, and individual level is a rare combination for players, but some have managed it. Without further ado, here is a list of five players who have won the World Cup, Champions League, and Ballon d'Or.
#5 Paolo Rossi
Italian football legend Paolo Rossi is one of the greatest footballers of all time. The forward is one of only three players ever to win three awards in a single FIFA World Cup edition.
He won the World Cup in 1982 and the Ballon d'Or in the same year. He won the UEFA Champions League (then known as the European Cup) in 1984.
Rossi was one of the most prolific Italian strikers of the 1980s and managed to make a name for himself in the second division. He led the Azzuri to win the 1982 FIFA World Cup, scoring six goals to emerge as the top scorer.
He won the Golden Ball and Golden Boot in the tournament, too, despite scoring all his goals in the knockout rounds. Rossi won the European Cup with Juventus in 1985 after the side finished second two years earlier.
The prolific striker featured for AC Milan and Hellas Verona in the latter stages of his career. Rossi sadly passed away in 2020 after a battle with lung cancer.
#4 Rivaldo
Brazilian great Rivaldo was part of the R3 trio that terrorized defenses at the 2002 World Cup. The legendary forward won the FIFA World Cup in 2002 and the UEFA Champions League in 2003. He had previously won the 1999 Ballon d'Or award.
Rivaldo was one of the most elegant and talented footballers of his generation. Despite his slender and tall frame, he moved quite gracefully on the pitch and had a wicked left foot.
He made his name at FC Barcelona, where he won the La Liga in each of his first two seasons, 1997-98 and 1998-99. His efforts saw him awarded the Ballon d'Or in 1999.
Rivaldo proceeded to star in the World Cup in Korea/Japan, scoring in five of the seven games at the Mundial as Brazil won the title. He won the UEFA Champions League in his only season at AC Milan in 2003, as well.
Rivaldo enjoyed a terrific professional career and played well into his 40s. The talented winger-cum-attacking midfielder retired in 2015 after a stint with Mogi Mirim in his native Brazil.
#3 Kaka
Kaka is widely remembered as the last player to win the Ballon d'Or before the Messi-Ronaldo duopoly began. The Brazilian star enjoyed a terrific professional career in which he won the World Cup and the UEFA Champions League as well.
Kaka is regarded as one of the last pure attacking midfielders in football. The Brazilian was a joy to watch with the ball at his feet as he ran rings around opposition players easily.
He was part of the Seleçao squad that won the World Cup in 2002 despite being only 20 years old. He won the UEFA Champions League in his time as an AC Milan player in 2007 and won the Ballon d'Or in the same year.
Kaka was blessed with technical ability and brilliant vision on the football pitch. He mastered the art of playing between midfield and attack and made himself a force of nature. He retired from professional football in 2017 after time in the MLS with Orlando City.
#2 Zinedine Zidane
Any list of the greatest midfielders of all time is incomplete if the name of Zinedine Zidane is omitted. The Frenchman enjoyed a stellar career, winning the FIFA World Cup in 1998, the Ballon d'Or in the same year, and the UEFA Champions League in 2002.
Zidane is one of the greatest players to kick a ball in the 21st century and arguably in the history of the game. He was instrumental in the French national team winning their first-ever FIFA World Cup title on home soil in 1998.
He scored twice in the final of the competition and won the Ballon d'Or after his exploits with Juventus at club level. He also scored in the UEFA Champions League final in 2002 as Real Madrid defeated Bayer Leverkusen.
Zidane was one of the Galacticos of Real Madrid, having joined the club for a world record fee from Juventus. He retired from professional football in 2006 and has since gone into management successfully.
#1 Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho redefined how football was seen in the early 21st century. The Brazilian attacker was an entertainer on the pitch, always playing with a smile on his face. He won the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Champions League and the Ballon d'Or during his pomp.
Ronaldinho is easily one of the most technically gifted and skilled footballers to ever kick a football. He was not known for scoring goals, but his presence on the pitch was enough to create chaos for opponents.
He was part of the R3 trident that helped Brazil win the 2002 World Cup in Korea/Japan. He also won the Ballon d'Or in 2005 after impressing with FC Barcelona and helped the side win the Champions League the following year.
Ronaldinho enjoyed a hugely successful career and built his reputation as one of the greatest of all time. The Brazilian retired from professional football in 2018 after playing his final professional match three years earlier with Fluminense.
