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The Ballon d'Or is an annual award presented by France Football to the standout performer across club and international football.
Since its introduction in 1955, several world-class players have won the prestigious award. Precisely, 25 different players from 19 different countries and 20 different clubs have laid their hands on the Ballon d'Or over the years. However, only a few of them - four to be exact - have done so with different clubs.
Lionel Messi joined the quartet when he put PSG on the Ballon d'Or map this year. The former Barcelona forward won a record-extending seventh award on Sunday (November 28). The Ligue 1 giants are now one of 12 clubs that have had exactly one Ballon d'Or winner.
On that note, here's a look at the five clubs with the most Ballon d'Or wins over the years:
#5 Bayern Munich - 5 (3 different Ballon d'Or winners)
Bayern Munich are one of the most successful clubs in Germany and Europe. The Bavarian giants are record Bundesliga winners, and have also won six European Cups (three of them in the Champions League era).
Along with Barcelona, Bayern Munich are the only other club to win multiple continental trebles. They last accomplished the feat in the 2019-20 season, thanks to the exploits of Robert Lewandowski. The Pole finished runner-up to Lionel Messi in the 2021 Ballon d'Or vote after another prolific year for club and country.
Over the years, Bayern Munich have had three players win five Ballon d'Or titles while playing for the club. They are Gerd Muller (1), Franz Beckenbauer (2) and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (2).
However, Bayern haven't had a Ballon d'Or winner since Rummenigge won his second award in 1981.
#4 AC Milan - 8 (6 different Ballon d'Or winners)
AC Milan are one of the most storied and successful clubs in the history of the game.
With seven titles in the European Cup (three in the Champions League era), they are the second-most successful club in the competition's history. With 18 Serie A titles, they are also one of the most successful club teams in Italy.
Unsurprisingly, the Rossoneri have had multiple Ballon d'Or winners over the years. Six different players have won eight Ballon d'Or titles while playing for Milan, with Marco van Basten (3) the only one to win multiple times. Milan's last Ballon d'Or winner was Kaka in 2007.
The Brazilian was the architect of the Rossoneri's seventh and most recent triumph in the Champions League.
#3 Juventus - 8 (6 different Ballon d'Or winners)
Juventus, like their Serie A counterparts AC Milan, have also had eight Ballon d'Or wins.
The Bianconeri are record 36-time Serie A winners, and have reached six finals in the Champions League era, winning one. Unsurprisingly, they have had several world-class players who have turned up for them over the years.
Juventus' latest Ballon d'Or winner is Pavel Nedved, who beat Thierry Henry to the coveted award in 2003. Nedved won the award despite Juventus losing to Milan in the Champions League that year. However, the Czech midfielder played a key role in the Bianconeri's league triumph the same year.
Five other Juventus players have won a total of seven Ballon d'Or titles for the club, with Michel Platini (3) the only one to do so multiple times.
#2 Real Madrid - 11 (7 different Ballon d'Or winners)
Real Madrid are one of the most successful clubs in the history of the game. They have won a record 34 La Liga titles and 13 in the Champions League.
The Merengues have been graced by many a fine player over the years. Perhaps the finest of them all is Cristiano Ronaldo, who won four Ballon d'Or titles in a span of five years.
The only other Real Madrid player to win multiple Ballon d'Or titles is Alfredo Di Stefano (2).
Luka Modric (2018) is the latest Real Madrid player to lay his hands on the coveted award. He usurped the usual contenders Ronaldo and Lionel Messi after winning the Champions League and taking Croatia to the 2018 FIFA World Cup final.
Real Madrid's Karim Benzema finished fourth in the 2021 Ballon d'Or vote.
#1 Barcelona - 12 (six different Ballon d'Or titles)
Barcelona, like Real Madrid, are one of the most successful clubs in Spain and Europe.
With 12 Ballon d'Or wins, the Blaugrana are the most successful club in the history of the prestigious award. Two players - Lionel Messi (6) and Johan Cruyff (2) - have accounted for eight of these wins. Four other players have accounted for Barcelona's four other Ballon d'Or wins.
Messi, widely regarded as one of the best players in the game's history, won a record sixth Ballon d'Or award in 2019. That's two clear of the next best Ballon d'Or tally by any player for a single club.
Now with PSG, the Argentine has added another Ballon d'Or to his collection this year.
Luis Suarez, Hristo Stoichkov, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho are the other players who won Ballon d'Or titles while playing for the Blaugrana.
