The Ballon d'Or, an annual football accolade, has been presented by the renowned French news magazine France Football since 1956. This prestigious award is widely regarded as the pinnacle of individual success in the world of football.
History:
Conceived by sports writers Gabriel Hanot and Jacques Ferran, the Ballon d'Or was initially intended to honour the male player who had delivered the most outstanding performance in the previous year. This selection was made through votes cast by football journalists, a practice that continued from 1956 to 2006. Originally, the award was exclusively open to European footballers, but in 1995, it expanded to include players of any nationality who had played for European clubs. Further changes were made in 2007, extending eligibility to all professional footballers worldwide. Post-2007, the privilege to vote was also granted to national team coaches and captains. In 2022, France Football updated the rules for the Ballon d'Or, shifting the timing of awards from a calendar year to a football season and restricting voting to countries within the top 100 of the FIFA World Ranking
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Most Awarded Players:
The Ballon d'Or has seen its share of legends. Only ten players have managed to clinch this coveted award multiple times. These names are synonymous with football greatness. Dutch football icon Johan Cruyff was the first to achieve a hat-trick of victories, securing the honour three times during the 1970s. French sensation Michel Platini followed suit, claiming the award three consecutive times in the 1980s.
Current Leaderboard:
The player with the most Ballon d'Or trophies in history is none other than Lionel Messi, boasting an astounding seven titles to his name. Messi's remarkable achievements were celebrated in the years 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, and 2021. In the second position, we find Cristiano Ronaldo, who has amassed five Ballon d'Or trophies from the years 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2017. Remarkably, between Messi and Ronaldo, they have collectively dominated the last twelve out of thirteen Ballon d'Or awards.
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