'%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 Cryuff (three-time Ballon d'Or winner)
Johan Cruyff is one of only five players to win at least three Ballon d'Or awards. The brilliant Dutchman is widely regarded as the pioneer of the revolutionary 'Total Football' concept.
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His exploits helped Ajax emerge from relative anonymity and become a European powerhouse, with Cryuff powering them to three successive European Cup triumphs. The first of those triumphs in 1971 helped Cruyff win the Ballon d'Or award that year.
Two years later, after leading Ajax to their third-straight European title, he left the Dutch giants for Barcelona before winning his second Ballon d'Or award as a Blaugrana player.
Another award followed in 1974 after Cruyff helped Barcelona to their first league title in over a decade. That season, the Blaugrana won 5-0 at the home of their arch-rivals Real Madrid.
Cruyff later won more accolades as manager, leading Barcelona's 'Dream Team' to four successive league titles and the European Cup.
#2 Lionel Messi (seven-time Ballon d'Or winner)
It might be surprising to find the most successful player in Ballon d'Or history in second place on this list. But there is a reason for that.
Lionel Messi has already won a record six Ballon d'Or awards while at Barcelona. He added another to that tally last night, becoming only the fourth player ever to win the accolade with multiple clubs.
However, the PSG attacker won his latest award, largely because of his exploits with Barcelona earlier in the year and with Argentina at Copa America 2021. At PSG, he has had a subdued start to life, scoring only four times in 11 games across competitions, not enough to even put him in the Ballon d'Or reckoning.
Earlier in the year, the Argentine won the Copa del Rey. He also scored 30 times to win a record-extending eighth Pichichi award even as Barcelona finished third. Later in the summer, he led from the front in Argentina's successful Copa America 2021 campaign.
Messi topped both the goals (4) and assists (5) charts as La Albiceleste became the toast of their continent for the first time in almost three decades. That proved decisive as the 34-year-old edged out Robert Lewandowski for the 2021 Ballon d'Or award.
The Argentine won his first Ballon d'Or award in 2009 after inspiring Barcelona to their first continental treble. He followed that up with three more in as many years, becoming the first player in the award's history to do a three-peat.
Messi won his fifth Ballon d'Or award in 2015 after winning another continental treble with the Blaugrana. Four years later, he won his sixth, after another breakout year for club and country.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo (five-time Ballon d'Or winner)
Cristiano Ronaldo, along with Messi, is one of only two players to have won at least five Ballon d'Or awards.
Ronaldo first won the prestigious accolade after a breakout campaign in 2008 for Manchester United. He scored 41 times across competitions in 2007-08 as United successfully defended their league title and won the Champions League.
A year later, Ronaldo was on his way to Real Madrid on a world-record transfer. There, his career reached stratospheric levels. He won his first two Ballon d'Or awards with the club, second and third overall, in 2013-14. The second one came after Ronaldo played a starring role in Real Madrid's Champions League La Decima.
Two years later, Ronaldo had a sensational campaign for club and country. After winning his third Champions League title, he led Portugal to Euro 2016 glory to win his fourth Ballon d'Or award.
A year later, Ronaldo moved level with Messi, winning a then record-equalling fifth Ballon d'Or title. That year, the Portuguese won his second La Liga title and second-consecutive Champions League title, fourth overall.
Four years later, he endured his first finish outside the Ballon d'Or top five in 11 years.
The 36-year-old has shown no signs of slowing down any time soon. He could be back in the Ballon d'Or reckoning in 2022 with a strong campaign for club and country.
