10 Footballers with most individual awards in world football

#2 Lionel Messi (Argentina) - 11 awards

Argentina's Lionel Messi became the first player to win 5 Ballon d'Ors

Lionel Messi comes second in the list of footballers with most individual awards. Considered by many players, fans, pundits, as the greatest player of all time, he has scored an insane 650 goals in 799 appearances for club and country. With his footballing intelligence, technical brilliance, crazy dribbling skills and a vision to behold, the little Argentine has become the image of a complete footballer.

Having spent his entire professional career at FC Barcelona, he has won a club record 33 trophies. The major ones include 9 LaLiga titles, 4 UEFA Champions Leagues, 3 FIFA Club World Cup and many more. Messi also holds the record for most goals scored in a calendar year, having scored 91 in 2012.

He has won a record-tying 5 Ballon d'Ors. Under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola, Messi won 4 consecutive Golden Balls from 2009 to 2012. He also won FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2009. He would later add a fifth Ballon d'Or in 2015 after Barcelona's second treble in the 2014-15 season. His tally of 5 European Golden Boots is highest in world football.

Award Details

Ballon d'Or (5): 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015

FIFA World Player of the Year: 2009

European Golden Boot (5): 2009-10, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2016-17, 2017-18