Cristiano Ronaldo has won five Ballon d’Or awards. The prize recognizes the outstanding men’s football player in a given year, and Ronaldo’s five victories place him among the most decorated individual players in the award’s history.
Ronaldo won his first Ballon d’Or in 2008, after a spectacular season with Manchester United that included the UEFA Champions League and Premier League titles. He won again in 2013 and 2014, then added two more awards in 2016 and 2017 while playing for Real Madrid. His victories span two clubs and nearly a decade of elite performance.
The most common confusion is with Lionel Messi, who has won more Ballon d’Or awards. Ronaldo’s five wins are separate from other honors such as FIFA’s world-player awards, UEFA Player of the Year awards and the European Golden Shoe. The Ballon d’Or is also not a trophy awarded for every season automatically; it is an individual vote-based honor, traditionally presented by France Football.