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

Lionel Messi won the 2023 Ballon d’Or despite moving from Europe to Inter Miami on a free transfer in the summer.

Messi decided to accept a move to Florida following the expiration of his contract at Paris Saint-Germain, with the veteran forward enjoying an impressive start to life in the US.

Despite no longer competing in the UEFA Champions League, a change in Ballon d’Or voting criteria from 2022 means he was in line to win the award for 2023, ahead of Manchester City machine Erling Haaland.

Ballon d’Or voting now focuses on the previous season rather than the calendar year, with Messi’s inspirational leadership of Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title proving to be the deciding factor.

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

Messi is the most successful player in Ballon d’Or history with eight titles won between 2009 and 2023, ahead of arch-rival Cristiano Ronaldo on five.

Six of Messi’s Ballon d’Or wins came as a Barcelona player for the 2021 award in the months following his arrival at PSG. Although he did not win based on performances for Inter Miami in 2023 – which would not be allowed due to the criteria for the award – he is the first soccer player to win the award while playing in MLS.

Lionel Messi wins Ballon d’Or

After finishing third in 2007 and second in 2008, Messi won his first Ballon d’Or in 2009 and then won the award in three consecutive years.

Messi won just one Ballon d’Or between 2013 and 2016, while Ronaldo won three, with their rivalry reaching new heights as Barcelona and Real Madrid continued to battle it out for trophies.

However, as the duo began to move into the final years of their careers, with Ronaldo’s last victory coming in 2017, Messi again secured the award in 2019 and 2021.

In 2023, he finished ahead of Haaland and Kylian Mbappe to win the award for possibly the last time.