Most Ballon d'Or wins of all time: Messi's eight, Ronaldo's five and every multiple winner
Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d'Or a record eight times, three more than Cristiano Ronaldo. Here is every player who has won it more than once, the records behind the award and what to expect in London on 26 October.
The Ballon d'Or has been awarded since 1956, when Stanley Matthews became the first winner. In seventy years only one player has won it more than five times — and he won it eight.
With the 2026 ceremony in London on Monday 26 October, here is the complete list of multiple winners and the records behind football's most famous individual prize. Every winner since 1995 is on our Ballon d'Or winners list.
Every player to win the Ballon d'Or more than once
| Player | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Lionel Messi | 8 | 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023 |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | 5 | 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 |
| Johan Cruyff | 3 | 1971, 1973, 1974 |
| Michel Platini | 3 | 1983, 1984, 1985 |
| Marco van Basten | 3 | 1988, 1989, 1992 |
| Alfredo Di Stéfano | 2 | 1957, 1959 |
| Franz Beckenbauer | 2 | 1972, 1976 |
| Kevin Keegan | 2 | 1978, 1979 |
| Karl-Heinz Rummenigge | 2 | 1980, 1981 |
| Ronaldo (Brazil) | 2 | 1997, 2002 |
Messi and Ronaldo: 13 awards in 16 years
Between 2008 and 2023, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo won 13 of the 15 Ballon d'Ors awarded (there was no award in 2020). Only Luka Modrić in 2018 and Karim Benzema in 2022 broke the run.
Messi's eight wins came across 15 years, from 2009 to 2023 — the last after leading Argentina to the 2022 World Cup. His four in a row from 2009 to 2012 is also a record. Ronaldo's five include back-to-back wins in 2013–14 and 2016–17.
The three-time winners
Before Messi and Ronaldo, the record was three, shared by three players who each defined an era:
- Johan Cruyff won in 1971, 1973 and 1974, the face of Ajax's total football.
- Michel Platini won three in a row from 1983 to 1985 with Juventus — the first player to do so.
- Marco van Basten won in 1988, 1989 and 1992 with AC Milan before injury ended his career at 30.
How the Ballon d'Or has changed
- 1956–1994: Only European players were eligible.
- 1995: Opened to players of any nationality at European clubs. George Weah, of Liberia and AC Milan, was the first non-European winner.
- 2007: Opened to players at any club in the world.
- 2010–2015: Merged with FIFA's World Player of the Year as the "FIFA Ballon d'Or".
- 2020: Not awarded, because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
- From 2024: Organised with UEFA and judged on the previous season rather than the calendar year.
The women's Ballon d'Or
The Ballon d'Or Féminin was first awarded in 2018. Aitana Bonmatí won it three years in a row from 2023 to 2025, the record; her Barcelona team-mate Alexia Putellas won in 2021 and 2022.
The 2026 Ballon d'Or
The 2026 ceremony moves from Paris to the London Palladium on 26 October — the first time it has been held outside Paris. The holder is Ousmane Dembélé, who won in 2025 after Paris Saint-Germain's first Champions League title. Lamine Yamal and Harry Kane have been among the most talked-about contenders; our Ballon d'Or 2026 guide covers the nominees.
Whoever wins will not threaten Messi's record soon. Even a winner every year from now would need until the 2030s to reach eight.
FAQ
Who has won the most Ballon d'Ors? Lionel Messi, with eight (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023).
How many Ballon d'Ors has Cristiano Ronaldo won? Five: 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017.
Who was the first Ballon d'Or winner? Stanley Matthews of England and Blackpool, in 1956.
Why was there no Ballon d'Or in 2020? It was cancelled because the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted the season.
