Lionel Messi has won the men's Ballon d’Or eight times, the most of any player in the award’s history. That answer settles the headline question, but it also says something bigger about how the Ballon d’Or has evolved since 1956: the top of the list has become a two-man era, and Messi sits alone at the summit.
The Ballon d’Or has been handed out for decades, yet no one has matched Messi’s blend of consistency and longevity at the very top. His eight wins came in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023. That run places him ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo, who has won the men's Ballon d’Or five times, with the pair combining for 13 awards between them.
Who Else Has Defined the Award?
The list of past winners shows how special Messi’s total is. Stanley Matthews was the inaugural winner in 1956 while playing for Blackpool. Lev Yashin became the only goalkeeper to win the men's Ballon d’Or in 1963. George Weah made history in 1995 as the first non-European winner while at AC Milan. Those milestones matter because they show how rare it is for any player to dominate this award across different eras.
Messi’s record is even more striking when placed next to the recent history of the award. Cristiano Ronaldo won in 2008, then again in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017, creating a long rivalry at the top of the sport. But Messi’s total pulled away over time, and the gap has become the defining detail of the men’s Ballon d’Or leaderboard.
What Comes Next?
The award continues, with the 2026 Ballon d’Or winner set to be announced on Monday, October 26, 2026. The 2025 prize went to Ousmane Dembélé, which only adds to the sense that the list can still change. But for now, the historical answer is clear: Lionel Messi owns the record with eight men's Ballon d’Or wins, and no one else is close.
