Who holds the record for the most Ballon d’Or awards, recognizing the world’s best football player?

Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi holds the record with eight Ballon d'Or awards. After spending most of his career at FC Barcelona, he played for Paris Saint-Germain before joining Inter Miami CF in 2023. His vision, dribbling, and goalscoring made him one of the defining players of his era. Each Ballon d'Or reflects a sustained level of excellence that very few players have ever matched.