Who has won the most Ballon d'Or awards? Messi's record and the full list

One Ballon d'Or crowns a season; eight of them define an era. Here's who has won football's most prestigious individual award the most times, and how the prize itself has changed since 1956.

The record: Messi's eight

Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d'Or a record eight times: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023. His run includes the first ever four in a row (2009–2012) and stretches across three clubs — Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and, for the 2023 award sealed by his World Cup triumph, the move to Inter Miami.

The multiple winners

• Lionel Messi (Argentina) — 8 (2009–2023)
• Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) — 5 (2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017)
• Michel Platini (France) — 3 (1983, 1984, 1985 — three straight)
• Johan Cruyff (Netherlands) — 3 (1971, 1973, 1974)
• Marco van Basten (Netherlands) — 3 (1988, 1989, 1992)
• Two-time winners include Alfredo Di Stéfano, Franz Beckenbauer, Kevin Keegan, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Brazil's Ronaldo (1997, 2002).

Between 2008 and 2023, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo won 13 of 15 editions — the most sustained duopoly in the award's history, interrupted only by Luka Modrić (2018) and Karim Benzema (2022), with no award given in 2020.

How the award has evolved

The Ballon d'Or's rules have shifted several times, which matters when comparing eras:

• 1956 — created by the magazine France Football; Stanley Matthews is the first winner. Only European players are eligible.
• 1995 — eligibility opens to players of any nationality at European clubs; George Weah immediately becomes the first African winner.
• 2007 — the award goes fully global: any player, any club, anywhere.
• 2010–2015 — merged with FIFA's award as the FIFA Ballon d'Or, before the partnership ended and France Football resumed sole control in 2016.
• 2020 — not awarded for the only time, due to the pandemic-disrupted season.
• 2022 onwards — judged on the football season rather than the calendar year, with a stated focus on individual performance.

That history fuels endless debate: Pelé, Garrincha and Diego Maradona never won, because South Americans playing outside Europe weren't eligible in their primes. France Football has acknowledged both legends with honorary recognition, but the record books stay as they are.

The recent winners

After the Messi–Ronaldo era loosened its grip, the award has gone to Rodri (2024) — Manchester City's midfield anchor, edging Vinícius Júnior in one of the closest votes in memory — and Ousmane Dembélé (2025), crowned after Paris Saint-Germain's treble-winning, Champions League-conquering season.

The women's Ballon d'Or

The women's Ballon d'Or, first awarded in 2018 to Ada Hegerberg, has its own record chase: Barcelona's Aitana Bonmatí has won three in a row (2023, 2024, 2025), overtaking teammate Alexia Putellas (2021, 2022) as the most decorated winner.

Follow the contenders shaping the next race across our competitions and rankings.

FAQ

Who has won the most Ballon d'Or awards?

Lionel Messi, with eight wins between 2009 and 2023. Cristiano Ronaldo is second with five, and Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten share third with three each.

Why did Pelé and Maradona never win the Ballon d'Or?

Until 1995 the award was restricted to European players, and until 2007 to players at European clubs. Pelé spent his prime at Santos in Brazil and Maradona's peak years predated full eligibility, so neither could win.

Has the Ballon d'Or ever not been awarded?

Once — in 2020, when France Football cancelled the award because the COVID-disrupted season was deemed too irregular to judge fairly.

Who won the Ballon d'Or most recently?

Rodri won the 2024 men's award and Ousmane Dembélé the 2025 edition. Aitana Bonmatí won the women's Ballon d'Or in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Is the Ballon d'Or the same as FIFA's The Best award?

No. They merged as the FIFA Ballon d'Or from 2010 to 2015, but since 2016 they are separate: France Football runs the Ballon d'Or, while FIFA hands out The Best awards.