5 clubs with the most Ballon d'Or winners

#1 Barcelona- 10

Ronaldinho was bestowed with the BDO in 2005

The most decorated club in terms of number of Ballon d’Or awards won is unsurprisingly Catalan giants Barcelona. The reigning European champions have had six different players who have won the award a record 10 times with Argentine superstar Lionel Messi alone winning four of them.

Midfielder Luis Suarez, regarded by many as one of the greatest players to have emerged from Spain, was the first Barca player to be handed the coveted award. He won it for his role in Barcelona’s La Liga winning side of 1960, a year in which they also reached the semi-finals of the European Cup.

Dutch legend Johan Cruyff won it on consecutive occasions in 1973 and 1974 becoming the second player to claim the honour during his glorious spell with the Catalans.

Barcelona had to wait 20 years since after Cruyff for a player to claim the Ballon d’Or when Bulgarian Hristo Stoichkov clinched the award in 1994. Four years later in 1998, Brazilian star Rivaldo was named as the winner for his stellar performances for the club.

It was the turn of another flamboyant Brazilian by the name of Ronaldinho to win the award in 2005 as he set the footballing world alight with his tricks, flicks and breathtaking goals.

Messi holds the record for the most number of BDO awards(4)

However, it is the little magician from Argentina, Lionel Messi who outshines all the greats mentioned above as he has won the prestigious award a record four times(2009,2010,2011,2012) in his illustrious career.

Dubbed by many as the greatest player to have played the beautiful game, Messi is the overwhelming favourite to win the Ballon d’Or for a record-extending fifth time in 2015 for his treble-winning exploits with Barcelona.