The most Ballon d’Or winners

January 6, 2023

The Ballon d’Or has been awarded every year since 1956. During that time, the rules have changed several times, but one thing has remained unchanged – the prize is actually awarded to the best footballer. However, a few of the most talented players have won the award more than once and we want tell you about them.

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge – 2 awards

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is a retired German professional footballer who played as a forward for West Germany and Bayern Munich. He won the Ballon d’Or in 1980 and 1981. Rummenigge was known for his speed, strength, and goalscoring ability, and he was a key member of the West German team that won the 1980 European Championship.

Kevin Keegan – 2 awards

Kevin Keegan is a retired English professional footballer and manager who won the Ballon d’Or in 1978 and 1979. Keegan was a forward who played for clubs such as Liverpool, Hamburg, and Newcastle United, and he was a key member of the Liverpool team that won three league titles and the UEFA Cup in the 1970s.

Alfredo Di Stefano – 2 awards

Alfredo Di Stéfano was an Argentine professional footballer and coach who is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. He played as a forward or attacking midfielder and is best known for his time at Real Madrid. Di Stéfano was named European Footballer of the Year (the predecessor to the Ballon d’Or) in 1957 and 1959, and he was named to the World Cup All-Star Team in 1954 and 1958.

Ronaldo – 2 awards

Ronaldo, full name Ronaldo Luis Nazário de Lima, is a retired Brazilian professional footballer who is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. The peak of his career came in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when he won major European and international tournaments. He was known for his skill, pace, and goalscoring ability.

Franz Beckenbauer – 2 awards

Franz Beckenbauer is a retired German professional footballer and manager who is widely considered one of the greatest players in the history of the sport. Franz Beckenbauer is one of the rare defenders to have been awarded the Ballon d’Or. His talent and original playing strategy were recognised with the prize in 1972 and 1976.

Marco van Basten – 3 awards

Marco van Basten is a retired Dutch professional footballer. Van Basten won the Ballon d’Or award three times, in 1988, 1989, and 1992, and he was named European Footballer of the Year in 1992. He was known for his technical skills, powerful shooting, and goalscoring ability. Van Basten’s career was unfortunately cut short by injury, but he remains one of the most respected and celebrated figures in the history of Dutch football.

Johan Cruyff – 3 awards

Johan Cruyff was a Dutch professional footballer and coach. He was the first footballer to win the Ballon d’Or three times. Cruyff won the Ballon d’Or award and was named European Footballer in 1971, 1973, and 1974. He was known for his technical skills, vision, and creativity on the pitch. He also was a key figure in the development of the “Total Football” philosophy of play.

Michel Platini – 3 awards

Michel Platini is a retired French soccer player and coach who won the Ballon d’Or award three times. The early 1980s were a triumphant period for this outstanding footballer. He won the Ballon d’Or award in 1983, 1984 and 1985. After retiring as a player, Platini became a coach and later served as the president of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).

Cristiano Ronaldo – 5 awards

Cristiano Ronaldo is a Portuguese soccer player who has won the Ballon d’Or award five times. Cristiano Ronaldo won the award in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017. He is known for his speed, technical ability, and goal-scoring prowess.

Lionel Messi – 7 awards

Lionel Messi is an Argentine soccer player who has won the Ballon d’Or award a record seven times. Messi won the award in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019 and 2021. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest soccer players of all time, and he has had an incredible career at both the club and international levels.