Lionel Messi holds the record with 8 Ballon d'Or wins, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo with 5 — together they account for half of the awards since 2008.
Quick answer: 1. Lionel Messi, 2. Cristiano Ronaldo, 3. Michel Platini, 4. Johan Cruyff, 5. Marco van Basten, 6. Alfredo Di Stéfano, 7. Franz Beckenbauer, 8. Kevin Keegan, 9. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, 10. Ronaldo Nazário.
The Ballon d'Or, awarded by France Football magazine since 1956, is the most prestigious individual honour in football. Over the decades, only 45 players have won the award, and fewer than a dozen have won it more than once. This list ranks the players with the most Ballon d'Or wins in history. The award was originally restricted to European players, expanded to all players at European clubs in 1995, and became a global prize in 2007. Between 2010 and 2015, the award was merged with FIFA's World Player of the Year as the FIFA Ballon d'Or, but those wins are counted as full Ballon d'Or titles.
The all-time record holder with 8 Ballon d'Or wins (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023). His 2023 win came after leading Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup title, cementing his status as the most decorated player in the award's history.
Winner of 5 Ballon d'Or awards (2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017), tied for second-most all time. He is the only player to win the award with three different clubs — Manchester United, Real Madrid, and he has been nominated from Juventus as well.
The French midfielder won the Ballon d'Or three consecutive years (1983, 1984, 1985) — one of only two players to achieve a three-peat. He scored 41 goals in 41 games for France during his peak.
The Dutch total football pioneer won the Ballon d'Or three times (1971, 1973, 1974), the first player to reach that milestone. He was runner-up in 1975, narrowly missing a fourth.
The Dutch striker won the Ballon d'Or three times (1988, 1989, 1992), the only player other than Platini to win three in a four-year span. His career was cut short by injury at age 28.
The Argentine-born Spanish legend won the Ballon d'Or in 1957 and 1959, and received the Super Ballon d'Or in 1989 as the greatest multiple-time winner. His achievements with Real Madrid in the 1950s built the club's European dynasty.
The German libero revolutionized defensive play and won the Ballon d'Or in 1972 and 1976. He is one of only three players to win the World Cup as both a player (1974) and manager (1990).
The English forward won the Ballon d'Or in 1978 and 1979, twice in a row while playing for Hamburg. He remains the only English player to win the award more than once.
The German striker won the Ballon d'Or in 1980 and 1981, back-to-back while playing for Bayern Munich. He was also runner-up in 1979 and 1982, making four consecutive top-two finishes.
The Brazilian phenomenon won the Ballon d'Or in 1997 and 2002, becoming the youngest winner at age 21 in 1997. Despite career-threatening knee injuries, he remains one of the most gifted players in the award's history.
| # | Name | Country | Ballon d'Or Wins | Runner-up finishes | Win span | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | 8 | 5 | 2009–2023 | Forward |
| 2 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | 5 | 6 | 2008–2017 | Forward |
| 3 | Michel Platini | France | 3 | 0 | 1983–1985 | Midfielder |
| 4 | Johan Cruyff | Netherlands | 3 | 2 | 1971–1974 | Forward |
| 5 | Marco van Basten | Netherlands | 3 | 1 | 1988–1992 | Forward |
| 6 | Alfredo Di Stéfano | Argentina / Spain | 2 | 3 | 1957–1959 | Forward |
| 7 | Franz Beckenbauer | West Germany | 2 | 1 | 1972–1976 | Defender |
| 8 | Kevin Keegan | England | 2 | 1 | 1978–1979 | Forward |
| 9 | Karl-Heinz Rummenigge | West Germany | 2 | 2 | 1980–1981 | Forward |
| 10 | Ronaldo Nazário | Brazil | 2 | 1 | 1997–2002 | Forward |
Players are ranked by total number of Ballon d'Or awards won (rank 1 = most awards). The FIFA Ballon d'Or (2010–2015) is counted as the same award. The data comes from France Football's official records and the Wikipedia Ballon d'Or page. Only winners of the main men's Ballon d'Or are included — the Ballon d'Or Féminin, Yashin Trophy, and other associated awards are excluded. Figures are current as of the 2025 Ballon d'Or ceremony.
Lionel Messi holds the record with 8 Ballon d'Or wins (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023), followed by Cristiano Ronaldo with 5.
Five players have won the Ballon d'Or at least three times: Lionel Messi (8), Cristiano Ronaldo (5), and Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff, and Marco van Basten (3 each).
Yes — Franz Beckenbauer won in 1972 and 1976, and Fabio Cannavaro won in 2006. Only one goalkeeper, Lev Yashin (1963), has ever won the award.
Yes. Between 2010 and 2015, the Ballon d'Or was merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year and known as the FIFA Ballon d'Or. Those six editions are officially counted as part of the Ballon d'Or lineage by France Football.