As of the end of 2024, Lionel Messi had won eight Ballon d'Or awards. That is the record total for the men's award, placing him ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo, who had won five at that point.
Messi's eight victories came in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023. His 2023 award recognized a remarkable period that included leading Argentina to victory at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, although the award evaluates a broader body of performances under the relevant voting rules.
The Ballon d'Or is presented by France Football to the player judged to have performed best over the evaluation period. It was originally limited to European players, expanded to players of any origin at European clubs in 1995, and became fully global in 2007.
A frequent confusion is between the Ballon d'Or and FIFA's separate The Best award. They were combined under the FIFA Ballon d'Or name from 2010 through 2015, but they became separate awards again afterward. Messi's total of eight refers specifically to the Ballon d'Or.