'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#3 Johan Cruyff (Three-time Ballon d'Or winner)
A pioneer of the modern game, the late Johan Cruyff won three Ballon d'Ors during his playing days.
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The Dutch legend won the award for the first time in 1972. Cruyff heralded an Ajax team for the ages that enjoyed tremendous success in the 70s. He first led his club to first place in the 1971-72 Eredivisie as well as the Dutch Cup. Cruyff then helped Ajax complete a historic treble with a 3-2 victory over Inter Milan in the 1972 European Cup final. Overall, the Dutch maestro scored an astounding 33 goals and provided a staggering 26 assists in 45 matches as Ajax made continental history.
Cruyff bagged his second Ballon d'Or in 1973. He led Ajax to yet another league title, scoring 16 goals and assisting a further 15 in 26 Eredivisie matches. He also led them to the UEFA Super Cup, scoring one and assisting one as Ajax beat Rangers 3-2 over two legs.
While the Dutch club fell short in the Dutch Cup, Cruyff ensured their continued European dominance. He first led Ajax to the 1973 European Cup with a 1-0 victory over Juventus in the final. After that win, Cruyff also took Ajax to victory in the Intercontinental Cup. He scored one and assisted two as his side beat Independiente 4-1 over two legs.
Curyff won his final Ballon d'Or while turning out for Barcelona in 1974. He led them to their first La Liga title in 14 years in the 73-74 season, scoring 16 league goals. While the Catalans failed to make much of a note in other club competitions, Cruyff was central to the Dutch national team that made it to the 1974 World Cup final.
He scored three and assisted five goals during the tournament, but inevitably saw his team fall short as Germany beat the Netherlands 2-1 in the final. Regardless, Cruyff's exploits for Barcelona were sufficient to bring him the 1974 Ballon d'Or and lay the foundations for Blaugrana's success in the years that followed.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo (Five-time Ballon d'Or winner)
Has there been a fitter footballer than Cristiano Ronaldo on the world stage? The Portuguese legend remains at the top of his game at the age of 36. This was only affirmed by his Golden Boot victory at Euro 2020.
Ronaldo has won five Ballon d'Ors, a record bettered only by a certain Lionel Messi. The first of his awards came in 2008 while he was at Manchester United. The Red Devils won the Premier League and Champions League during the 2007-08 season, in addition to the FA Community Shield. Ronaldo was central to all of this, scoring 42 goals in 49 appearances across all competitions.
After moving from United to Real Madrid in 2009, Ronaldo won the Ballon d'Or for the second time in 2013 after a stellar individual season. The forward scored an exceptional 55 goals in as many matches for Los Blancos. But Real could only finish second in the league, 15 points adrift of winners Barcelona.
They did secure the Copa del Rey however, with Ronaldo scoring and then getting sent off in the final against Atletico Madrid. While collective success was at a premium, the Portuguese's individual exploits were enough for him to clinch the Ballon d'Or.
Ronaldo followed it up with a third Ballon d'Or in 2014 as Real clinched the Copa del Rey and Champions League during the 2013-14 season. The forward scored a record 17 goals in the UCL, which was one-third of his 51 goals across all competitions.
A fourth Ballon d'Or followed in 2016 as Real once again won the Champions League, the first of three consecutive victories. Ronaldo was the centerpiece once again as he scored 16 UCL goals and 51 in all competitions, leading his side to glory.
His final Ballon d'Or came in 2017 after another Champions League victory which was accompanied this time by a La Liga triumph as well. Ronaldo ended the season with 42 goals in all competitions and 25 in the league as Real won the Spanish top-flight for the first time in five years.
#1 Lionel Messi (Six-time Ballon d'Or winner)
Who else but the 2021 Ballon d'Or frontrunner himself? Few have come close to Lionel Messi in football's GOAT debate and the number of Ballon d'Ors he has won indicates just why that is the case. The Argentine has won the award a record six times and could make it seven later this year.
Messi's first Ballon d'Or came in 2009 as he was the focal point of one of club football's greatest ever sides. The forward led Barcelona to an unprecedented sextuple. They won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League during the 2008-09 season and followed it up with victories in the Spanish and UEFA Super Cups as well as the FIFA Club World Cup. Individually, Messi recorded 38 goals and 19 assists during Blaugrana's triumphant campaign.
La Pulga followed it up with a second Ballon d'Or in 2010, scoring 47 goals and recording 12 assists as Barcelona won La Liga again. However, the club fell early in the Copa del Rey and lost in the Champions League semifinals to eventual winners Inter Milan. Many expected Inter's Wesley Sneijder, who won the treble for his club, or Andres Iniesta, who won the 2010 FIFA World Cup with Spain, to secure the Ballon d'Or. However, the votes marginally went in favor of Messi, who looked surprised when his victory was confirmed.
There were no such doubts in 2011, however, as Messi made it three Ballon d'Ors in a row. Barcelona once again won La Liga and also secured the Champions League with a 3-1 final win over Manchester United. The Argentine exploded into form, scoring 53 goals and recording 25 assists across all competitions in a prolific campaign.
He then went a step further and made it four Ballon d'Ors in succession, winning the award once again in 2012. While Barcelona could only win the Copa del Rey that season, Messi scored an incredible 91 goals across the calendar year. It is a record that still stands unopposed as the Argentine took home yet another Ballon d'Or, becoming the first person to win the award four times.
Messi then had to wait three years before winning his fifth Ballon d'Or in 2015. For the second time in six years, Barcelona completed an unprecedented treble, winning the league, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League. Messi delivered the goods once again, scoring 58 goals and assisting a further 31 in 57 matches as he secured the Ballon d'Or once again.
The Argentine captain's sixth and final Ballon d'Or to date came in 2019. Messi led Barcelona to yet another league title, his 10th, and also won the European Golden Boot with 36 league goals. However, he failed to win any other collective trophies, losing in the final of the Copa del Rey and the infamous semi-final against Liverpool in the Champions League.
Regardless, Messi's individual exploits were seen to be enough as he recorded 51 goals and 22 assists in all competitions for the Blaugrana to secure his sixth Ballon d'Or.
