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#3 Johan Cruyff (1973, 1974)
Johan Cruyff is arguably the single most important figure in the history of football. His career on both the field and in the dugout revolutionized the game and brought far-reaching changes.
He came to global prominence after guiding Ajax to three-peat European Cup victories between 1971 and 1973.
He also played a prominent role in the Netherlands' famed 'total football' team before joining Barcelona in 1974.
His displays saw him named the Ballon d'Or winner in 1973 and 1974, in addition to an earlier win in 1971. This made him the first player in history to win the award on three occasions.
With the Catalans, he continued his legendary displays on the field, although European glory continued to elude the La Liga giants.
His greatest impact for Barcelona, however, came during his spell as manager. It was under his astute management that the Catalans truly became a global powerhouse.
European Cup glory was finally achieved in 1992 by a 'dream team' that included the likes of Pep Guardiola, Ronald Koeman and Luis Enrique.
Cruyff was also instrumental in establishing the famed football academies at Ajax and Barcelona which have since gone on to produce some of the greatest players in history.
Both academies are widely regarded as two of the finest football academies in the world today and are integral to how the two clubs operate.
Cruyff's influence also stretched into the realm of management and several of the game's leading tacticians today, including Guardiola, Enrique and Koeman, all drew influence from the great Dutchman.
Sadly, he passed on in April 2016 at the age of 68.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo (2013, 2014 & 2016, 2017)
Cristiano Ronaldo has rewritten the record books everywhere he has gone. From Portugal with Sporting Lisbon and his national team, to England with Manchester United, Spain with Real Madrid and Italy with Juventus.
Despite the fact that the Madeira native will turn 37 next February, he has shown no signs of stopping and still maintains the same drive and hunger that characterized his teenage years.
The Portugal international has given the game everything and the game has in turn blessed him with fame, prestige and riches beyond comparison.
Cristiano Ronaldo has broken records too numerous to mention and is deservedly considered one of the greatest players to ever lace up a pair of boots.
His first Ballon d'Or triumph came in 2008 when he guided Manchester United to UEFA Champions League glory. For the next few years, he had to take a backseat as Lionel Messi conquered the all and sundry to establish a 4-1 lead in the Ballon d'Or race.
Rather than sitting back and accepting defeat, this served as motivation for Ronaldo and he incredibly drew level in the Ballon d'Or count by 2017.
He helped Real Madrid to a long-awaited La Decima in 2014 and departed the club in 2018 having played a starring role in their unprecedented three-peat in the UEFA Champions League.
It goes without saying that Los Blancos extracted every penny from the world record fee they paid Manchester United nine years earlier. His displays in the Spanish capital were so immense that he departed as the club's record goalscorer, having played fewer games than the number of goals he scored.
In hindsight, the £80m Real Madrid paid for his services in 2009 looks like one of the biggest bargains in history.
His time at the Santiago Bernabeu saw him win consecutive Ballon d'Ors on two occasions in 2013, 2014 and again in 2016, 2017.
#1 Lionel Messi (2009-2012)
Lionel Messi's career is littered with records, trophies and plenty of goals and assists.
Ever since he broke into public consciousness at the 2005 World Youth Championship, the Rosario native has played his way into being arguably the greatest player in history.
The word legend has been bandied about in recent years, watering down its significance to some extent. But Messi is one player who the word 'legend' might not be enough to adequately portray all that he has achieved in his immense career.
He was the talisman of the Barcelona team that decimated all before them on their way to being one of the greatest club teams in the history of football.
Messi's incredible displays in this period included scoring an unbelievable 91 goals in the calendar year of 2012. He also guided his club to several trophies, including two UEFA Champions League titles.
His performance saw him become the first player to win the Ballon d'Or in four consecutive years between 2009 and 2012. Two further awards have been won in 2015 and 2019 as he continues to play a starring role for Barcelona.
Prior to 2021, the one stick with which detractors beat Lionel Messi was his lack of silverware on the international stage.
He captained Argentina to Copa America glory in Brazil to finally banish the ghosts of demons past and this triumph put him in the driving seat for a record-extending seventh Ballon d'Or.
Also See: Six greatest players who never received an international cap
