5 international locations with most Ballon d’Or awards in soccer historical past

Cristiano Ronaldo has received the Ballon d’Or 5 instances in his profession. (Picture by Burak Akbulut/Anadolu Company/Getty Photographs)

Since its inception in 1956, the Ballon d’Or has been a significant award in skilled soccer. Each participant’s dream is to win the trophy at the very least as soon as to solidify one’s profession as one of many biggest of all time.

Thus far in historical past, the Ballon d’Or has awarded on 64 events. Usually, gamers from main footballing nations are those to win the trophy. It’s principally European or South American gamers which have dominated the trophy. Liberia is the only African country to have a consultant win the award.

There are some international locations which have produced so many unbelievable footballers that their trophy depend has exponentially elevated as properly.

So right here’s a take a look at the 5 international locations with probably the most Ballon d’Or wins in soccer historical past.

Argentina (7 Ballon d’Or wins, 1 participant)

Simply to confer with how surreal Argentina’s trip within the Ballon d’Or winners desk has been, they didn’t win a single award heading into the 21^st century. However one man modified all that. The person in query is, after all, the very personal Lionel Messi! The Argentine sensation has been a magnet for Ballon d’Or since successful his first in 2009.

He’s since gone onto win the award seven instances in his profession, greater than some other participant in soccer historical past. That features successful it 4 years in a row from 2009-2012. Messi received his seventh final yr, catapulting Argentina to the highest of the charts for nations with probably the most Ballon d’Or awards in historical past.

Netherlands (7 wins, 3 gamers)

The Dutch have by no means received the FIFA World Cup, however they’ve a historical past of manufacturing unbelievable footballing expertise. Among the many most well-known is Johan Cruyff – the primary Dutchman to win the Ballon d’Or. He received it thrice (1971, 1973, 1974) and laid the trail for a lot of different world-class footballers to comply with in his path.

After him, Ruud Gullit was the subsequent Dutchman to win the Ballon d’Or (1987) and Marco van Basten, typically considered top-of-the-line strikers of all time, matched Cruyff’s feat by successful it thrice in a row in 1988, 1989 and 1992. Since then, not a single Netherlands footballer has tasted related glory and the nation is caught on 7 wins.

Portugal (7 wins, 3 gamers)

Very like the Netherlands nationwide staff, Portugal have by no means tasted World Cup success both. However that hasn’t stopped them from growing various unbelievable gamers who’re thought of among the many best in historical past. The largest determine to return out of Portugal is, after all, Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Manchester United star has received 5 Ballon d’Or awards in his profession, one at Previous Trafford and 4 at Actual Madrid. Ronaldo is the second most adorned participant in Ballon d’Or historical past and was the third Portuguese to win the trophy.

Eusebio was the primary Portugal participant to win (1965) and Luis Figo adopted in 2000. Understanding the array of expertise the nation remains to be producing, Portugal ought to get extra Ballon d’Or {hardware} all through this century.

Germany (7 wins, 5 gamers)

Germany has an extended, wealthy historical past in worldwide soccer and it enjoys a fame for being among the many greatest footballing nations each World Cup cycle. The Germans have received the World Cup 4 instances and hoisted the European Championships trophy thrice, staking a declare as top-of-the-line European nations of all time. Their success is derived from their skill to churn out world-class footballers on a constant foundation.

Some German footballers have been a degree above the others. Germany have had 5 gamers win the Ballon d’Or: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller, Lothar Matthaus and Matthias Sammer – the recent-most German participant to win it (1996).

Rummenigge and Beckenbauer received the trophy twice every, making Germany to  one of the adorned nations in Ballon d’Or historical past.

France (6 wins, 4 gamers)

The reigning World Cup Champions have a star-studded squad, filled with world-class gamers, however their success isn’t a factor of current historical past. They’ve been a significant drive in world soccer for many years and have produced some actually wonderful, distinctive gamers. France have had 4 gamers win the celebrated award.

Raymond Kopa, a pioneering ahead, received it again in 1958, delivering the primary award for France. Michel Platini received it three straight instances (1983-85) and Jean Pierre-Papin claimed the trophy in 1991.

The good Zinedine Zidane was the final Frenchman to win the Ballon d’Or, claiming the award in 1998. With the variety of wonderkids in French soccer proper now, a seventh Ballon d’Or won’t be too distant. And Karim Benzema is favourite to win the subsequent trophy to be introduced on Oct. 17.