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At the end of another scintillating football season, the attention of critics and fans alike has turned towards individual awards. The Ballon d'Or remains the most prestigious prize on offer for male footballers and there has already been excessive debate about who deserves the award this time around.
Barcelona and Argentina talisman Lionel Messi leads the list for many fans. The Catalan giants experienced an underwhelming 2020-21 club season that saw them win just the Copa del Rey. But Messi was incredible individually and won the Pichichi Award after finishing atop the La Liga scoring charts (he scored 30 goals in 35 league matches. La Pulga then went on to clinch the Top Scorer and Player of the Tournament award at the 2021 Copa America in addition to winning the title itself.
Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski is another fan favorite for the Ballon d'Or. The Polish striker broke Gerd Muller's record of 40 goals in a Bundesliga season enroute to Bayern clinching the league title. The Bavarians, however, failed to go deep in the UEFA Champions League and could not win the DFB Pokal either.
If Lewandowski does win the award, it would be his first ever Ballon d'Or. However, if Messi were to win it, the award would be a record seventh win for the Argentine. While winning the Ballon d'Or once is in itself considered a tremendous achievement, securing the award multiple times pays testament to the consistency displayed by those players. So far, only 10 players have won the award more than once.
Here, we take a look at five legendary players who have won the Ballon d'Or more than once. They have been selected based on the number of times they won the award as well as their immense impact on the beautiful game.
#5 Ronaldo Nazario (Two-time Ballon d'Or winner)
One of the greatest strikers to ever grace the beautiful game, Ronaldo Nazario won the Ballon d'Or twice during his stellar career. The Brazilian was immense in 1997, when he represented both Barcelona and Inter Milan. In his sole season with the Catalan giants, Ronaldo scored an astounding 47 goals in just 49 matches and also provided 12 assists. He led Barcelona to a second-place finish in La Liga before departing for Inter Milan after contractual disputes with the Blaugrana board.
Midway through his first season with the Nerazzurri, Ronaldo won the 1997 Ballon d'Or. He went on to record 25 Serie A goals in the 1997-98 season. Ronaldo ended the season with 34 goals in all competitions for Inter Milan as they finished second in the Italian top-flight. Despite missing out on both league titles he contested, the mercurial Brazilian was awarded the Ballon d'Or for a fantastic individual campaign.
Post his 1997 win, Ronaldo struggled with injury problems that massively derailed his career. He experienced a staggered 2001-02 season, where he played just 16 games for Inter and scored seven goals. However, he led Brazil to international glory at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, scoring eight goals including two in the final against Germany.
Ronaldo then joined Real Madrid at the start of the 2002-03 season, but was sidelined by injury until October. Upon returning, the Brazilian found some rhythm as he ended the season with 30 goals from 44 matches for Los Blancos. Real won the La Liga title as well as the UEFA Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup, which led to Ronaldo winning his second Ballon d'Or.
#4 Franz Beckenbauer (Two-time Ballon d'Or winner)
The only defender on this list, Franz Beckenbauer, also won the Ballon d'Or twice during his illustrious career.
Beckenbauer's first Ballon d'Or came in 1972. The German steered Bayern to first place in the 1971-72 Bundesliga. Apart from marshaling the defense extremely well, Beckenbauer also chipped in with seven goals and eight assists across all competitions. The central defender then went on to lift Euro 1972 with the national team. Beckenbauer kept a clean sheet in the final as Germany swept the USSR 3-0 in the final. These accomplishments were enough for him to win the 1972 Ballon d'Or.
Beckenbauer won his second Ballon d'Or in 1976 despite not scaling the same heights he did in 1972. Still turning out for Bayern, the German could only help the Bavarians to a third-place finish in the 75-76 Bundesliga season. However, Beckenbauer provided the match-winning assist as Bayern secured the European Cup with a 1-0 victory over St. Etienne in the final. He then guided Germany to their second consecutive UEFA Euro final. But Beckenbauer's season ended in disappointment as the Germans were beaten 7-5 on penalties by Czechoslovakia.
Regardless, the centre-back was seen to have had a phenomenal individual season that saw him cement his status as one of the greatest defenders of all time. He also chipped in with seven goals and five assists for Bayern, in addition to leading them to the UEFA Super Cup final. All this saw Beckenbauer lift his second Ballon d'Or in 1976.
#3 Johan Cruyff (Three-time Ballon d'Or winner)
A pioneer of the modern game, the late Johan Cruyff won three Ballon d'Ors during his playing days.
The Dutch legend won the award for the first time in 1972. Cruyff heralded an Ajax team for the ages that enjoyed tremendous success in the 70s. He first led his club to first place in the 1971-72 Eredivisie as well as the Dutch Cup. Cruyff then helped Ajax complete a historic treble with a 3-2 victory over Inter Milan in the 1972 European Cup final. Overall, the Dutch maestro scored an astounding 33 goals and provided a staggering 26 assists in 45 matches as Ajax made continental history.
Cruyff bagged his second Ballon d'Or in 1973. He led Ajax to yet another league title, scoring 16 goals and assisting a further 15 in 26 Eredivisie matches. He also led them to the UEFA Super Cup, scoring one and assisting one as Ajax beat Rangers 3-2 over two legs.
While the Dutch club fell short in the Dutch Cup, Cruyff ensured their continued European dominance. He first led Ajax to the 1973 European Cup with a 1-0 victory over Juventus in the final. After that win, Cruyff also took Ajax to victory in the Intercontinental Cup. He scored one and assisted two as his side beat Independiente 4-1 over two legs.
Curyff won his final Ballon d'Or while turning out for Barcelona in 1974. He led them to their first La Liga title in 14 years in the 73-74 season, scoring 16 league goals. While the Catalans failed to make much of a note in other club competitions, Cruyff was central to the Dutch national team that made it to the 1974 World Cup final.
He scored three and assisted five goals during the tournament, but inevitably saw his team fall short as Germany beat the Netherlands 2-1 in the final. Regardless, Cruyff's exploits for Barcelona were sufficient to bring him the 1974 Ballon d'Or and lay the foundations for Blaugrana's success in the years that followed.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo (Five-time Ballon d'Or winner)
Has there been a fitter footballer than Cristiano Ronaldo on the world stage? The Portuguese legend remains at the top of his game at the age of 36. This was only affirmed by his Golden Boot victory at Euro 2020.
Ronaldo has won five Ballon d'Ors, a record bettered only by a certain Lionel Messi. The first of his awards came in 2008 while he was at Manchester United. The Red Devils won the Premier League and Champions League during the 2007-08 season, in addition to the FA Community Shield. Ronaldo was central to all of this, scoring 42 goals in 49 appearances across all competitions.
After moving from United to Real Madrid in 2009, Ronaldo won the Ballon d'Or for the second time in 2013 after a stellar individual season. The forward scored an exceptional 55 goals in as many matches for Los Blancos. But Real could only finish second in the league, 15 points adrift of winners Barcelona.
They did secure the Copa del Rey however, with Ronaldo scoring and then getting sent off in the final against Atletico Madrid. While collective success was at a premium, the Portuguese's individual exploits were enough for him to clinch the Ballon d'Or.
Ronaldo followed it up with a third Ballon d'Or in 2014 as Real clinched the Copa del Rey and Champions League during the 2013-14 season. The forward scored a record 17 goals in the UCL, which was one-third of his 51 goals across all competitions.
A fourth Ballon d'Or followed in 2016 as Real once again won the Champions League, the first of three consecutive victories. Ronaldo was the centerpiece once again as he scored 16 UCL goals and 51 in all competitions, leading his side to glory.
His final Ballon d'Or came in 2017 after another Champions League victory which was accompanied this time by a La Liga triumph as well. Ronaldo ended the season with 42 goals in all competitions and 25 in the league as Real won the Spanish top-flight for the first time in five years.
#1 Lionel Messi (Six-time Ballon d'Or winner)
Who else but the 2021 Ballon d'Or frontrunner himself? Few have come close to Lionel Messi in football's GOAT debate and the number of Ballon d'Ors he has won indicates just why that is the case. The Argentine has won the award a record six times and could make it seven later this year.
Messi's first Ballon d'Or came in 2009 as he was the focal point of one of club football's greatest ever sides. The forward led Barcelona to an unprecedented sextuple. They won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League during the 2008-09 season and followed it up with victories in the Spanish and UEFA Super Cups as well as the FIFA Club World Cup. Individually, Messi recorded 38 goals and 19 assists during Blaugrana's triumphant campaign.
La Pulga followed it up with a second Ballon d'Or in 2010, scoring 47 goals and recording 12 assists as Barcelona won La Liga again. However, the club fell early in the Copa del Rey and lost in the Champions League semifinals to eventual winners Inter Milan. Many expected Inter's Wesley Sneijder, who won the treble for his club, or Andres Iniesta, who won the 2010 FIFA World Cup with Spain, to secure the Ballon d'Or. However, the votes marginally went in favor of Messi, who looked surprised when his victory was confirmed.
There were no such doubts in 2011, however, as Messi made it three Ballon d'Ors in a row. Barcelona once again won La Liga and also secured the Champions League with a 3-1 final win over Manchester United. The Argentine exploded into form, scoring 53 goals and recording 25 assists across all competitions in a prolific campaign.
He then went a step further and made it four Ballon d'Ors in succession, winning the award once again in 2012. While Barcelona could only win the Copa del Rey that season, Messi scored an incredible 91 goals across the calendar year. It is a record that still stands unopposed as the Argentine took home yet another Ballon d'Or, becoming the first person to win the award four times.
Messi then had to wait three years before winning his fifth Ballon d'Or in 2015. For the second time in six years, Barcelona completed an unprecedented treble, winning the league, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League. Messi delivered the goods once again, scoring 58 goals and assisting a further 31 in 57 matches as he secured the Ballon d'Or once again.
The Argentine captain's sixth and final Ballon d'Or to date came in 2019. Messi led Barcelona to yet another league title, his 10th, and also won the European Golden Boot with 36 league goals. However, he failed to win any other collective trophies, losing in the final of the Copa del Rey and the infamous semi-final against Liverpool in the Champions League.
Regardless, Messi's individual exploits were seen to be enough as he recorded 51 goals and 22 assists in all competitions for the Blaugrana to secure his sixth Ballon d'Or.
