The Ballon d’Or signifies the best footballer of the year, taking into account individual performance, team achievements, class, and fair play. French sports magazine France Football started the award in 1956, and it has since become the most prestigious individual award in world football.
Since its inception, the Golden Ball has hopped across several nations, following bona fide talent and achievements. However, factors such as luck, longevity, perception management, and PR skills play significant
roles in the final result. Despite this complex mix of variables in a sport as dynamic as football, some nations have managed to secure multiple wins. Although these countries have accumulated several awards, they vary by their distribution patterns.
France, Germany, Brazil, and Italy have multiple players who got their hands on the Golden Ball across different positions on the pitch. On the other hand, Argentina, Portugal, and the Netherlands have been propped up on the shoulders of individual serial winners. Let us take a look at the nations with the most wins and the players who won the award for them.
8 wins – France and Argentina
Two nations possess a rich footballing heritage, but their dominance of the Ballon d’Or manifests in totally different ways. France is renowned for producing electric attacking talent. Raymond Kopa won France’s first Ballon d’Or in 1958. The versatile attacker played for Stade de Reims and Real Madrid. Kopa was followed by a series of attackers and attacking midfielders who won the prestigious award for France.
The legendary Michel Platini won it three times in a row from 1983 to 1985. Widely regarded as one of the best goal-scoring attacking midfielders, Platini’s instinct for goal, dead-ball ability, and vision to set up teammates were unmatched in his era.
Jean-Pierre Papin and Zinedine Zidane added two more to the tally, with Zizou’s Ballon d’Or coming on the back of the 1998 French World Cup victory. The latest winners, Karim Benzema and Ousmane Dembele, brought home the Ballon d’Or after victorious domestic and European campaigns in 2022 and 2025.
Argentina, on the other hand, has one winner who bagged the Ballon d’Or all eight times for his nation. Lionel Messi, one of the greatest players in the sport, has been a serial winner of the award. Bursting onto the scene for Barcelona in 2006, Messi quickly rose through the ranks to rule the sport. A short dribbler whose pace, vision, and technicality combined to help Barcelona win 35 trophies during his 17-year stay with the Catalan club.
He achieved his lifelong dream of winning the World Cup for Argentina in 2022. His impact for Argentina is remarkable, having taken his nation to the World Cup finals three times. Messi also helped Argentina win the Copa América twice, in 2021 and 2024.
He set a record by winning the Ballon d’Or four times in a row between 2009 and 2012. Along with this, his 8 overall wins represent a record that will be nearly impossible to beat. Alongside Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi dominated the 2010s. Between 2008 and 2019, either Messi or Cristiano won the award 11 out of 12 times.
7 wins – Portugal, Germany, and Netherlands
More European powerhouses follow closely behind. Once again, despite having the same total number of wins, the pattern of distribution varies between these countries. Portugal’s maiden victory in 1965 came through Benfica legend Eusébio. An athletic striker who possessed immense pace and technical ability, he scored a mammoth 733 goals in 745 games. The forward took Portugal to a third-place finish in the 1966 World Cup, their highest ever.
Luis Figo ended a 35-year wait for Portugal when he lifted the Golden Ball in 2000. His controversial transfer from Barcelona to arch-rivals Real Madrid that same year overshadowed the Portuguese winger’s incredible year. Then came the prodigy who would permanently carve Portugal’s legacy into the history of the sport.
Cristiano Ronaldo showed what raw talent, hard work, and a constant pursuit of improvement can produce. Becoming a brand unto himself, Cristiano’s accolades, physical fitness, pristine injury record, professionalism, and keen management of his image paved a path followed by many footballers to this day.
Gerd Müller won Germany’s first Ballon d’Or in 1970. Part of Bayern Munich and Germany’s golden generation, Müller—along with Franz Beckenbauer—brought home the award three times in seven years. Müller was a prolific goalscorer who could sniff out a goal from the faintest of possibilities. Known as Der Bomber, his ability to live around the penalty box and poach goals was second to none, setting records for club and country that remain unbroken to this day.
Germany’s greatest player and arguably the best defender of all time, Franz Beckenbauer, is the only defender to win the Ballon d’Or twice. A leader and pioneer, he invented the libero, or sweeper, role that became a mainstay of the game until the early 2000s. Nicknamed Der Kaiser (“The Emperor”), Beckenbauer led Germany and Bayern Munich to the echelons of football.
He played a pivotal role alongside Müller in the 1974 FIFA World Cup campaign, which ended with a victory against Johan Cruyff’s Netherlands and secured Germany’s second World Cup. The European Cup three-peat with Bayern Munich from 1974 to 1976 established the club’s legacy of domestic and continental dominance.
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge ensured Germany did not have to wait long for the next winner, capturing the award back-to-back in 1980 and 1981. “KHR” also led his nation to two World Cup finals in 1982 and 1986, though they fell short of lifting the trophy both times. His versatility across the attack and exceptional professionalism helped him transition from a pitch legend into a shrewd businessman, later taking on executive roles in Bayern Munich’s management.
Lothar Matthäus and Matthias Sammer bagged the Ballon d’Or in 1990 and 1996, respectively. Matthäus was a dynamic box-to-box midfielder who commanded the middle of the park. His tackling ability, vision, and technical skill, paired with elite leadership, made him one of the greatest midfielders in history. Matthäus captained his nation to its third World Cup in 1990.
Matthias Sammer followed in the footsteps of Beckenbauer, winning the Ballon d’Or as a defender. He served as a crucial cornerstone as a sweeper during Germany’s UEFA Euro victory in 1996.
The football world owes the Dutch for producing some of the greatest footballers and sports personalities in history. Johan Cruyff is easily one of the most influential figures, permanently changing how the game is played. He was a primary proponent of the philosophy of “Total Football” invented by his Ajax coach, Rinus Michels. Cruyff won the Ballon d’Or three times (in 1971, 1973, and 1974) after leading Ajax to a European Cup three-peat (1971–1973) and taking the Netherlands to the 1974 World Cup final.
Marco van Basten bagged the Ballon d’Or three times during his exploits with AC Milan during their resurrection. His compatriot at club and international levels, Ruud Gullit, also joined him by winning the Ballon d’Or during this era of Dutch dominance in Serie A.
5 wins – Brazil, Italy, and England
Brazil has long been a true talent factory for the sport. The number of elite, superstar-tier players that Brazil churns out year after year is astonishing. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that within 12 years of eligibility, the Canarinho won the Ballon d’Or 5 times. Ronaldo Nazário won it twice, while compatriots Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, and Kaká lifted the award once each.
While Brazilians have never lacked flair or pure attacking potency, these winners backed up their artistry with consistent numbers and accolade-filled seasons.
Italy’s wins are spread across five different players and various positions on the pitch. Omar Sívori won Italy’s maiden Ballon d’Or in 1961. The forward scored 435 goals during his career and is considered one of Juventus’ greatest players.
Sívori’s win was followed by Gianni Rivera, Paolo Rossi, Roberto Baggio, and Fabio Cannavaro lifting the Ballon d’Or. Rossi propelled Italy to victory at the 1982 World Cup, finishing as both the highest scorer and the best player of the tournament. Cannavaro won the award as a captain and defender after leading his nation to glory at the 2006 World Cup.
Gianni Rivera was voted AC Milan’s player of the century for his influential role in leading the club to multiple domestic and European titles. An attack-minded midfielder, Rivera was a technical maestro who orchestrated play by expertly creating space. He famously featured in the Game of the Century—the 1970 World Cup semi-final between Italy and Germany at the Estadio Azteca—where he scored the decisive winner in extra time to secure a 4–3 victory for Italy.
Roberto Baggio is another gem in the Italian treasury. His creativity, set-piece prowess, and dribbling made him a phenomenon in Serie A. His 1992–93 season was extraordinarily fruitful, yielding a 39-goal tally for club and country. He scored crucial goals to help secure the UEFA Cup for Juventus and a World Cup berth for Italy, earning him recognition as the best footballer of that year.
England won the inaugural Ballon d’Or when Sir Stanley Matthews picked up the Golden Ball. A pioneer of physical fitness and conscious eating, he enjoyed incredible longevity for a player of his era, playing well into his late 40s and retiring at 50. He was an intelligent, athletic, and versatile player who successfully transitioned from a traditional winger role into deeper positions as full-backs adapted to mark him.
England possessed a special generation of talent in the 1960s that saw the nation “bring it home” at the 1966 World Cup. Bobby Charlton led England to a historic World Cup triumph with a player-of-the-tournament performance. Kevin Keegan and Michael Owen later added more Ballons d’Or to England’s legacy following incredible trophy-winning seasons with Hamburg and Liverpool, respectively.
4 wins – Spain
Alfredo Di Stéfano, who was Argentine by birth, initially won the Copa América for his home country. However, he eventually moved to Europe to play for Real Madrid and opted to represent Spain. He was a central figure in Real Madrid’s European Cup dominance during the 1950s, winning two Ballons d’Or in 1957 and 1959.
He was followed by Luis Suárez, who won the 1960 Ballon d’Or after leading Barcelona to successive La Liga titles. Dubbed El Arquitecto, Suárez won the award and the league amid an era of Real Madrid dominance and immense political tension under Spain’s dictatorship, beating legendary players such as Ferenc Puskás and Di Stéfano.
Manchester City’s Rodri broke a 64-year drought for Spain with his Ballon d’Or victory in 2024 after winning the UEFA European Championship with his country. Under Pep Guardiola, Rodri established himself as the best defensive midfielder in the world. His ability to control tempo, act as a dynamic defensive screen, and lead on the pitch served as the bedrock for both club and country success.
Historically Euro-centric
The award was originally open exclusively to European footballers and was even known as the European Footballer of the Year award. This is a major reason for the historical dominance of European nations. However, the rule was amended in 1995 to include players of all nationalities playing in Europe. In 2007, it was further expanded to include players globally, transforming it into a truly worldwide award. Nonetheless, Europe’s enduring stronghold over club football means that winners predominantly play for European clubs. Lionel Messi remains the sole exception to this rule, winning his eighth Ballon d’Or while playing for American MLS club Inter Miami.
Ballon d’Or Feminin
France Football established the Ballon d’Or Féminin in 2018 as the female equivalent of the Ballon d’Or. The inaugural award was won by Norway’s Ada Hegerberg, playing for Lyon. The following year, two-time FIFA World Cup champion Megan Rapinoe became the first American to win the award after lifting the 2019 World Cup with the USA.
Spain has since dominated the women’s category, securing 5 wins in the first 8 years of the award’s existence. Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmatí have won the award twice and thrice, respectively, while playing for Barcelona. Putellas and Bonmatí were part of a historic Barcelona side that cemented its legacy with 4 Champions League trophies and multiple domestic titles.
Dubbed by Pep Guardiola as the female Iniesta, Bonmatí’s three-peat of the Ballon d’Or came on the back of treble-winning campaigns, the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023, two UEFA Women’s Nations League victories, and a European Championship runner-up finish with Spain.
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