The Ballon d'Or, football's most prestigious individual honor, has been awarded to players from twenty different nations since its inception in 1956, recognizing excellence in the sport on the international stage.

The 2024 edition saw Spain's defensive midfielder Rodri claim the coveted prize, becoming the first defensive midfielder to win since Lothar Matthäus in 1990, after anchoring Manchester City to their treble triumph and leading Spain to European Championship glory with his metronomic performances and crucial goals in both campaigns. Read on to discover all the ballon d'or winners by nationalities.

List of Winners by Country (including 2024)

Ballon d'Or Winners by Country
Country Winners Different Players Players
Argentina 8 1 Lionel Messi (8)
France 7 5 Michel Platini (3), Raymond Kopa, Zinedine Zidane, Jean Pierre-Papin, Karim Benzema
Germany 7 5 Franz Beckenbauer (2), Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (2), Gerd Muller, Lothar Matthaus, Matthias Sammer
Netherlands 7 3 Johan Cruyff (3), Marco van Basten (3), Ruud Gullit
Portugal 7 3 Cristiano Ronaldo (5), Eusebio, Luis Figo
Italy 5 5 Gianni Rivera, Roberto Baggio, Paolo Rossi, Omar Sivori, Fabio Cannavaro
Brazil 5 4 Ronaldo (2), Ronaldinho, Rivaldo, Kaka
England 5 4 Kevin Keegan (2), Sir Bobby Charlton, Sir Stanley Matthews, Michael Owen
Spain 4 3 Alfredo Di Stefano (2), Luis Suarez, Rodri
Soviet Union 3 3 Lev Yashin, Oleg Blokhin, Igor Belanov
Czech Republic 1 1 Pavel Nedved
Czechoslovakia 1 1 Josef Masopust
Bulgaria 1 1 Hristo Stoichkov
Croatia 1 1 Luka Modric
Denmark 1 1 Allan Simonsen
Liberia 1 1 George Weah
Northern Ireland 1 1 George Best
Hungary 1 1 Florian Albert
Scotland 1 1 Denis Law
Ukraine 1 1 Andriy Shevchenko

Argentina's Dominance of the Ballon d'Or

Despite the historical bias toward European players due to early eligibility restrictions, Argentina surprisingly sits atop the winners' list, a dominance attributed entirely to one extraordinary individual: Lionel Messi.

The Argentine maestro's record eight Ballon d'Or victories single-handedly place his nation at the summit of this prestigious ranking, though Argentina's tally could arguably be even higher—Alfredo Di Stéfano (1957, 1959) and Omar Sívori (1961), both Argentine-born players, won the award after obtaining Spanish and Italian citizenship respectively.

Following Argentina, four nations share second place with seven wins each: France, Germany, Netherlands, and Portugal, showcasing the traditional powerhouses of European football. Interestingly, while these countries have produced multiple winners, France, Germany, and Italy lead in terms of individual diversity, each having produced five different Ballon d'Or recipients, demonstrating a broader depth of world-class talent across generations.

First Time Winners

Here is a list of the first winners from each country that has produced a Ballon d'Or winner, sorted by years.

First Ballon d'Or Winner by Country
Year Country First Winner
2018 Croatia Luka Modric
2009 Argentina Lionel Messi
2004 Ukraine Andriy Shevchenko
2003 Czech Republic Pavel Nedvěd
1997 Brazil Ronaldo
1995 Liberia George Weah
1994 Bulgaria Hristo Stoichkov
1977 Denmark Allan Simonsen
1971 Netherlands Johan Cruyff
1970 Germany Gerd Müller
1968 Northern Ireland George Best
1967 Hungary Flórián Albert
1965 Portugal Eusébio
1964 Scotland Denis Law
1963 Soviet Union Lev Yashin
1962 Czechoslovakia Josef Masopust
1961 Italy Omar Sívori
1958 France Raymond Kopa
1957 Spain Alfredo Di Stéfano 
1956 England Stanley Matthews

2025 Ballon d'Or Prospects

Fans worldwide are in high octane expectations ahead of the 2025 Ballon d'Or ceremony, to be held in Paris. The trophy's leaderboard for this season is dominated by Ousmane Dembélé, who secured a historic treble for PSG and their first UEFA Champions League trophy. The Parisian is the strong favorite, with over 80% probability to win the top individual honor. Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, praised as "the best player in the world," is also a strong contender.

The competition is still very open, though, as attacking players like Jude Bellingham, Raphinha, and Mohamed Salah, as well as Vitinha, PSG's midfield metronome, have put up excellent performances and led significant campaigns for their teams and nations.  The wide range of nominees—from up-and-coming talents to seasoned industry titans, peaks to a season shaped equally by youthful brilliance and veteran consistency.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which country has won the most Ballon d'Or awards?

Argentina has won the most Ballon d'Or awards with 8 wins, all from Lionel Messi. France, Germany, Netherlands, and Portugal are tied for second place with 7 wins each.

How many times has Lionel Messi won the Ballon d'Or?

Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d'Or a record eight times, accounting for all of Argentina's wins in the award's history. His dominance has single-handedly placed Argentina at the top of the nationality rankings.

Why do European countries dominate the Ballon d'Or list?

From 1956 until 1994, only European players were eligible to win the award. Between 1995 and 2006, non-Europeans could win only if they played for European clubs. Since 2007, players from any country are eligible, but the historical restriction gave European nations a significant advantage.

Which countries have produced the most individual Ballon d'Or winners?

France, Germany, and Italy have each produced 5 different Ballon d'Or winners, the most of any countries. This shows the depth of talent these nations have produced over the decades, even if their total wins are less than Argentina's.

Has any African nation won the Ballon d'Or?

Yes, Liberia's George Weah won the Ballon d'Or in 1995, making him the only African player to win the award. This historic win came just after the eligibility rules changed to include non-European players.

Which was the most recent country to produce its first Ballon d'Or winner?

Croatia became the most recent country to produce its first Ballon d'Or winner when Luka Modric won the award in 2018. This ended a 10-year streak of wins by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.