Since 1956, the Ballon d’Or, the brainchild of two visionary French journalists, has been used to mark the world’s most talented football players. As soccer’s most coveted silver, the trophy is the crowning glory for a player’s performance and their team’s success in the previous season. Discover the complete list of Ballon d’Or winners, celebrating the sport’s finest talents since 1956.
We strive to provide our readers with valuable information through our rankings and lists. We used data from France Football, UEFA, and Transfermarkt to compile this list of all Ballon d’Or winners from 1956. The players are arranged in two categories: those with the most Ballon d’Or wins, followed by those with single wins.
This list of Ballon d’Or winners from 1956 to date honours several players across different football clubs, with some winning the trophy multiple times.
At the time of writing, Lionel Messi leads the pack of high achievers as one of the players with the most trophies. Here is a list of the most Ballon d’Or winners and players with a single Ballon d’Or award.
Player
Nationality
Total Wins
Years
Lionel Messi
Argentinian
8
2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023
Cristiano Ronaldo
Portuguese
5
2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017
Marco Van Basten
Dutch
3
1988, 1989, 1992
Michel Platini
French
3
1983, 1984, 1985
Johann Cruyff
Dutch
3
1971, 1973, 1974
Ronaldo
Brazilian
2
1997, 2002
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
German
2
1980, 1981
Kevin Keegan
English
2
1978, 1979
Franz Backenbauer
German
2
1972, 1976
Alfredo Di Stéfano
Spanish-Argentinian
2
1957, 1959
1. Lionel Messi — 8
Full name: Lionel Andrés Messi
Date of birth: 24 June 1987
Age: 37 years as of 2024
Status: Active
Team: Inter Miami CF
Position: Winger
Hailed as the GOAT of football, Messi holds eight Golden Ball trophies won between 2009 and 2023 and over eighty major trophies playing for different football clubs across national, regional, and international competitions. His latest trophy recognises his seven-goal performance for Argentina during the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
2. Cristiano Ronaldo — 5
Full name: Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro
Date of birth: 5 February 1985
Age: 39 years as of 2024
Status: Active
Team: Al-Nassr FC
Position: Forward
Cristiano Ronaldo plays and captains Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. The football legend started playing in 1992 and has won the Ballon d’Or five times since 2008. His latest award in 2017 recognised his record of 56 matches with 49 goals and 147 caps with 78 goals with an election of 946 points.
3. Marco Van Basten — 3
Full name: Marcel Van Basten
Date of birth: 31 October 1964
Age: 59 years as of 2024
Status: Retired
Position: Forward
In his prime, Dutch legend Marco Van Basten was recognised as the best striker and goal scorer. He earned the nicknames Marco Goalo and the Flying Dutchman, an ode to his coach and idol, Johan Cruyff. His football prowess earned him three Ballon d’Or awards in 1988, 1989, and 1992.
4. Michel Platini — 3
Full name: Michel François Platini
Date of birth: 21 June 1955
Age: 69 years as of 2024
Status: Retired
Position: Midfielder
Michel Platini is a former soccer player who rose through the football administration ranks to lead UEFA as president until 2016. He won the award for three consecutive years between 1983 and 1985 while playing for Juventus FC.
5. Johann Cruyff — 3
Full name: Hendrik Johannes Cruijff
Date of birth: 25 April 1947
Date of death: 24 March 2016
Position: Forward, Midfielder...Read Full Article [Click Here>]
Dutch football legend Johann Cruyff is remembered as the father of modern football. As a player, the attacking midfielder won the award in 1971, 1973 and 1973 while playing for Ajax Amsterdam and FC Barcelona. After a successful playing career, the Dutchman became one of the best football coaches.
6. Ronaldo — 2
Full name: Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima
Date of birth: 18 September 1976
Age: 47 years as of 2024
Status: Retired
Position: Striker
Ronaldo is the youngest football player to win the Ballon d’Or at 21 years of age, beating the previous record of 20 years. On 23 December 1997, he became the first-ever Brazilian winner with 222 points. His second award came in 2002 while playing for Inter Milan in Italy’s Serie A.
7. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge — 2
Full name: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
Date of birth: 25 September 1955
Age: 68 years as of 2024
Status: Retired
Position: Forward
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is a Bundesliga legend who played for FC Bayern München and later became its CEO. At the height of his playing days at FC Bayern München, he received the ultimate recognition with two Golden Ball trophies won in 1980 and 1981.
8. Kevin Keegan — 2
Full name: Joseph Kevin Keegan
Date of birth: 14 February 1951
Age: 73 years as of 2024
Status: Retired
Position: Forward
For two consecutive years, in 1978 and 1979, Kevin Keegan became the fifth Englishman to win the Golden Ball while playing for Hamburger SV. His triumph on the global stage was partly thanks to his skills, intelligence, and contributions on the home front.
9. Franz Beckenbauer — 2
Full name: Franz Anton Beckenbauer
Date of birth: 11 September 1945
Date of death: 7 January 2024
Position: Defender
Franz Backenbauer was a German football legend best remembered as one of the three men to win the World Cup as a player and coach. The sweeper played for the New York Cosmos and Hamburger SV after playing through the youth ranks of FC Bayern München, where he won two Ballon d’Or awards in 1972 and 1976.
10. Alfredo Di Stéfano — 2
Full name: Alfredo Stéfano Di Stéfano Laulhé
Date of birth: 4 July 1926
Date of death: 7 July 2014
Position: Forward
Alfredo Di Stéfano is one of the pioneer recipients of the award, earning two Golden Ball trophies in 1957 and 1959. In 1957, the Spanish-Argentinian football player won by 72 points, a score he topped with eight points in 1959.
In 1956, the inaugural trophy was awarded to Stanley Matthews, a pioneering footballer widely known as the Charlie Chaplin of football. Since then, forty-five soccer players have received the honours (as of September 2024). Here is a list of all players who hold at least one Golden Ball trophy.
Karim Benzema — 2022
Luka Modric — 2018
Kaká — 2007
Fabio Cannavaro — 2006
Ronaldinho — 2005
Andriy Shevchenko — 2004
Pavel Nedvěd — 2003
Michael Owen — 2001
Luís Figo — 2000
Rivaldo — 1999
Zinedine Zidane — 1998
Matthias Sammer — 1996
George Weah — 1995
Hristo Stoichkov — 1994
Roberto Baggio — 1993
Jean-Pierre Papin — 1991
Lothar Matthäus — 1990
Ruud Gullit — 1987
Igor Belanov — 1986
Paolo Rossi — 1982
Allan Simonsen — 1977
Oleg Blokhin — 1975
Gerd Müller — 1970
Gianni Rivera — 1969
George Best — 1968
Flórián Albert — 1967
Bobby Charlton — 1966
Eusébio — 1965
Denis Law — 1964
Lev Yashin — 1963
Josef Masopust — 1962
Omar Sívori — 1961
Luis Suárez Miramontes — 1960
Raymond Kopa — 1958
Stanley Matthews — 1956
