Harry Kane may be the new name on the Ballon d’Or trophy, but the all-time list of most Ballon d’Or wins still belongs to two players who defined football for almost two decades: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Messi has won the award eight times, while Ronaldo has won it five times. No other player in history has won it more than three times. A graphic shared by the official Ballon d’Or account on social media this week lists the years each won the trophy, and many fans have reacted to the reminder of a rivalry that may never be repeated.
Lionel Messi: Eight Ballon d’Or Wins
Messi’s eight wins came in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023.
His first four came in a row while he was at Barcelona, during a period in which he broke scoring records almost every season. He added a fifth in 2015 after Barcelona won the treble, and a sixth in 2019.
His seventh, awarded in 2021, came after he led Argentina to Copa América glory. There was no Ballon d’Or in 2020, as the award was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. His eighth, in 2023, followed his starring role as Argentina won the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the one major trophy that had escaped him for most of his career.
Cristiano Ronaldo: Five Ballon d’Or Wins
Ronaldo’s five wins came in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017.
He won his first at Manchester United in 2008, after a season in which he helped the club win the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League. His next four all came at Real Madrid, where he became the club’s all-time top scorer and won the Champions League four times.
His 2016 and 2017 wins came during Madrid’s run of three straight Champions League titles, and also followed Portugal’s victory at Euro 2016.
A Rivalry That Shaped an Era
Between 2008 and 2023, Messi and Ronaldo won 13 of the 15 Ballons d’Or awarded. The only exceptions in that period were Luka Modrić in 2018 and Karim Benzema in 2022.
Before them, the record for most wins was three, shared by Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini and Marco van Basten. Messi and Ronaldo did not just break that record; they left it far behind.
Their rivalry pushed both players to extraordinary levels, and for many fans the debate over who is the greatest of all time is still not settled. Supporters of Messi point to his eight Ballons d’Or and World Cup win. Ronaldo’s fans highlight his five Champions League titles, his record as international football’s all-time top scorer, and his success in England, Spain and Italy.
A New Era: Kane Joins the Winners’ List
Since Messi’s last win in 2023, the award has gone to new names. Spain’s Rodri won in 2024 and France’s Ousmane Dembélé won in 2025.
On Monday night, at a ceremony held at the London Palladium, Bayern Munich and England striker Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d’Or, ahead of Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal. Kane, who scored 73 goals for club and country and led England to the World Cup semi-finals, became the first Englishman to win the award since Michael Owen in 2001. Yamal was named best young player, while Spain’s Luis de la Fuente won Coach of the Year.
Can Anyone Catch Messi?
Reaching eight Ballons d’Or would require a player to be the best in the world, by voters’ judgement, for most of a decade. Young stars like Lamine Yamal have been tipped for multiple wins, but even a player of his talent would need years of consistency, trophies and good health to come close.
For now, the record books show a clear picture: Messi 8, Ronaldo 5, and everyone else a long way behind.
Who do you think is the greatest of all time, Messi or Ronaldo? Share your thoughts in the comments.