The Ballon d’Or returned to Paris this week to honor the best soccer players in the world, with the Spanish player Rodri picking up this year’s award. This is the most prestigious individual honor in the world of soccer, and its recipients set quite a few records over the years, starting with these four.
Most Awards
Argentine soccer icon Lionel Messi holds the record for most Ballon d’Ors won by a single player with eight, and this is not his only notable achievement. He’s also the only player to win the award with three different teams (Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and Inter Miami), in addition to being the only one to win it while playing outside of Europe.
Most Nominations
The record for most Ballon d’Or nominations is held by the Portuguese player Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored 18 nominations between 2007 and 2019. He once shared the record for most Ballon d’Or wins with Messi, after winning his fifth trophy in 2017, but their tie was eventually broken two years later.
Most Awards by Nation
Thanks to Lionel Messi, Argentina holds the record for most Ballon d’Ors won by a single nation with eight, but this record could soon be broken. Dutch, German, Portuguese, and French players have won the second most Ballons d’Or with seven each.
Most Awards by Club
When it comes to awards won by clubs, players from Real Madrid and Barcelona are tied with 12 awards each. Italian clubs Juventus and Milan share the third spot with eight trophies each.