Ranking the 5 legendary South American footballers to win the Ballon d'Or

Messi and Rivaldo deservedly make the list, but where do they rank compared to others?
Messi and Rivaldo deservedly make the list, but where do they rank compared to others?

Winning the Ballon d'Or is one of the most memorable moments in the life of a footballer. In the history of this prestigious award, the European players have been a dominant force, winning it for the majority of time.

Ever since its introduction in 1956, the award was only for players from Europe. It went on until after which players of all origin were eligible to win it. AC Milan's George Weah was the first non-European to win the Ballon d'Or in 1995.

However, players like Pele, Diego Maradona, Garrincha, Mario Kempes and Romario were also named as winners after they were reconsidered as part of international revaluation over the years.

Some of the greatest South American players have won the Ballon d'Or

Over the years, the Ballon d'Or has been won by players of different origins. Although Lionel Messi has single-handedly contributed to the South American winners' list in the last decade and a half, there were other notable names before him.

In the past twenty years, South Americans have won the Ballon d'Or nine times. On that note, let's rank the top South American players to win the award:

Note: The aforementioned players who later won the award after international revaluation have not been considered on this list.


#5 Rivaldo

Barcelona v Leeds
Barcelona v Leeds

The left-footed Brazilian started his career in his native country. While playing for Palmeiras, Rivaldo impressed many and was offered the chance to sign for Deportivo La Coruna in La Liga.

He joined the Spanish side in the summer of 1996. After a productive first season, the Brazilian joined Barcelona from the very next campaign. With his scintillating dribbling, agility, flair, and amazing creative abilities, Rivaldo went on to become a sensational player for the Catalans.

In 1999, the attacker won the La Liga title with Barcelona, ending up as the second-highest goal-scorer with 24 goals. He won the Ballon d'Or in the same year, beating Manchester United's David Beckham by a margin of 65 points.


#4 Ronaldinho

Brazil v Ghana - International Friendly
Brazil v Ghana - International Friendly

There aren't many players in the world who look as magical as Ronaldinho with the ball at his feet. He's arguably one of the best dribblers the game has ever seen.

Like most Brazilians, Ronaldinho started his career in professional football with Gremio. In 2001, he joined Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in Ligue 1 before signing for Barcelona in 2003. With the Spanish giants, the creative playmaker spent five memorable seasons.

In his third season with the club in 2005, Ronaldinho had already made a big name for himself, outperforming so many expectations. His creativity and goal-scoring abilities were delightful to watch and it was in 2005 that he won the Ballon d'Or after winning the La Liga title in the 2004-05 season. He beat two Englishmen, Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard to win this highly-coveted award.

#3 Kaka

2007 Ballon d'Or winner Kaka for AC Milan
2007 Ballon d'Or winner Kaka for AC Milan

Before Ballon d'Or was brutally dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka was the last player to win it. Luka Modric broke the domination of the two football G.O.A.Ts in 2018.

Kaka was one of the most skillful and graceful players of his generation. Starting his career with Sao Paulo in Brazil, the attacking midfielder had almost every skill in his armor. He had the pace, the passing ability, the dribbling skills, the flair, the agility and the goal-scoring potential a quality footballer should have.

He joined AC Milan in 2003 and became a legend at the club before leaving for Real Madrid in 2009. During his time in Milan, Kaka had the most memorable time in the 2006-07 season when they won the UEFA Champions League. It was in 2007 that he won the Ballon d'Or, beating Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo.

He was the top goal-scorer in the Champions League which helped him become the fourth Brazilian to win the Ballon d'Or. To date, he's the last Brazilian to achieve this feat.


#2 Ronaldo Nazario

Two-times Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo Nazario for Real Madrid
Two-times Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo Nazario for Real Madrid

If there is a striker in the history of the game with a perfect blend of goal-scoring abilities and dribbling skills, it has to be Brazil's Ronaldo Nazario. He is arguably one of the best players ever to play the beautiful game of football.

With the ball at his feet, Ronaldo can run with immense pace and crazy footwork. He can dribble past multiple defenders with utter ease and find the perfect finish. It was while playing for Inter Milan in 1997 that the Brazilian won his first Ballon d'Or at the age of 21. To date, he remains the youngest player ever to win this prestigious award.

Ronaldo was the first Brazilian back then to win the Ballon d'Or. He joined Real Madrid in 2002 and it was the year where he played a huge role in helping his country win the World Cup. Unsurprisingly, the Brazilian striker won his second Ballon d'Or that year, beating his compatriot Roberto Carlos to the award. To date, he remains the only Brazilian to win the award twice.


#1 Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi has six Ballon d'Or awards to his name
Lionel Messi has six Ballon d'Or awards to his name

Words cannot define the greatness of Lionel Messi. He has been beyond brilliant ever since his introduction in 2004. The Argentine has won six Ballon d'Ors in his career, a feat matched by no other footballer.

The left-footed forward is likely to win his seventh Ballon d'Or this year but only time will confirm it. Messi won his first award in 2009, beating Cristiano Ronaldo by 240 points, the highest margin in the history of the Ballon d'Or.

The former Barcelona forward then went on to win the Ballon d'Or for the next three years. Cristiano Ronaldo won the next two before Messi won the award the fifth time in 2015, beating the Portuguese once again.

Lionel Messi won the Ballon d'Or in 2019, the last time the award was presented. He won it by a narrow margin of seven points, beating Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk. Considering the magnitude of his achievements, it remains unlikely that any other South American will surpass his Ballon d'Or status quo.

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Edited by Nived Zenith