Top 10 players with the most individual awards in the world: Number 1 is too easy to guess

Football in any era always produces outstanding players. Let's take a look at the 10 players with the most individual awards in history.

Top 10 successful legends as both players and coaches

10. Johan Cruyff

The Dutch legend only received 10 awards throughout his career, but winning 3 Ballon d'Ors in the first 4 years of the 1970s proved that he was one of the best players in the world. He also developed a generation of players and later became one of the world's leading coaches.

9. Alfredo Di Stefano

After receiving 2 Ballon d'Ors in the late 1950s, Di Stefano was the first to receive the Super Ballon d'Or, honoring his outstanding contributions to world football over the decade, contributing to the 12 individual awards he received.

8. Michel Platini

The former UEFA president won the Ballon d'Or three times in a row in 1983, 1984, and 1985, contributing to 12 individual awards throughout his playing career.

7. Zinedine Zidane

The French legend achieved 13 honors in his career, including winning the Ballon d'Or in 1998, after securing the World Cup on home soil. Additionally, Zidane won the FIFA Player of the Year award three times.

6. Eusebio

Benfica's icon is one of the greatest goal scorers in the history of the tournament, winning the Golden Boot 7 times, including 5 consecutive times from 1964 to 1968. Throughout his playing career, Eusebio won 17 individual awards.

5. Gerd Muller

The German football legend won 18 individual awards, including the Ballon d'Or in 1970.

4. Ronaldo De Lima

The Brazilian forward won 18 individual awards throughout his career. Perhaps the most impressive was the Ballon d'Or in 2002, after defeating the German national team in the World Cup final in Japan and South Korea.

3. Marco van Basten

The Dutch legend received 20 individual awards in his career, including the Best Dutch Player award in 1985.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo

The Portuguese star ranks second on this list with 32 awards, including 5 Ballon d'Ors. Ronaldo's most recent award came when he scored the most goals in 2023.

1. Lionel Messi

The Argentine superstar won his 53rd individual award after being honored as the FIFA Player of the Year in 2023. He also owns 8 Ballon d'Ors and 3 FIFA The Best awards – both are records that no one has broken yet.