Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or eight times, more than any other player in the award’s history. His victories came in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023.
These eight awards span his career across Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami. Four of them were presented as the FIFA Ballon d’Or during the years 2010 through 2015, when France Football and FIFA combined their individual men’s awards.
How Many Ballon d’Or Awards Has Lionel Messi Won?
Messi has won eight Ballon d’Or awards. The complete record is shown below.
| Year | Club | Award |
| 2009 | Barcelona | Ballon d’Or |
| 2010 | Barcelona | FIFA Ballon d’Or |
| 2011 | Barcelona | FIFA Ballon d’Or |
| 2012 | Barcelona | FIFA Ballon d’Or |
| 2015 | Barcelona | FIFA Ballon d’Or |
| 2019 | Barcelona | Ballon d’Or |
| 2021 | Paris Saint-Germain | Ballon d’Or |
| 2023 | Inter Miami | Ballon d’Or |
Between 2010 and 2015, France Football and FIFA collaborated on a single men’s individual award. This merged award was called the FIFA Ballon d’Or. Messi won this version four times during that period.
After 2015, France Football resumed independent control of the Ballon d’Or. Messi won the standalone award in 2019, 2021 and 2023.
The change in naming does not mean Messi won a different number of awards. His eight total Ballon d’Or victories remain constant regardless of the official title used in each period.
Lionel Messi’s Eight Ballon d’Or Wins
2009 Ballon d’Or
Messi claimed his first Ballon d’Or in 2009, recognising his dominance during Barcelona’s historic treble season. At just 22 years old, he was already the focal point of a team capturing La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League.
The 2008–09 campaign established Messi as Barcelona’s leading attacking player under Pep Guardiola. He scored 38 goals in all competitions as Barcelona won La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League.
His first Ballon d’Or followed that outstanding season and made Messi the youngest winner of the award at the time.
2010 FIFA Ballon d’Or
Messi won his second Ballon d’Or in 2010 and became the first recipient of the newly named FIFA Ballon d’Or. He had helped Barcelona win La Liga during the 2009–10 season while continuing to produce outstanding individual numbers.
Messi finished ahead of Barcelona teammates Xavi and Andrés Iniesta in the voting. It was his second consecutive Ballon d’Or victory.
2011 FIFA Ballon d’Or
Messi won his third Ballon d’Or in 2011 after another outstanding season with Barcelona. The club won La Liga and the UEFA Champions League in 2010–11, with Messi scoring twice in the Champions League final against Manchester United at Wembley.
His third consecutive award made him the first player to win the Ballon d’Or three times before turning 25.
2012 FIFA Ballon d’Or
Messi’s fourth consecutive Ballon d’Or, won in 2012, deserves particular attention. This year represented the peak of his individual output during a single calendar year.
In the 2012 calendar year, Messi scored 91 goals for Barcelona and Argentina across all competitions, setting a remarkable scoring record for a calendar year.
2015 FIFA Ballon d’Or
Messi’s fifth Ballon d’Or came in 2015, recognised for his performances during Barcelona’s second treble-winning season. La Liga, Copa del Rey and Champions League all returned to Barcelona, with Messi at the centre of the club’s attacking play.
The 2014–15 season showcased Messi’s devastating attacking partnership with Luis Suárez and Neymar. The three formed one of football’s most lethal forward lines, yet individual accolades still centred on Messi’s output and influence.
Messi returned to the top of the Ballon d’Or voting in 2015 after Cristiano Ronaldo had won the previous two awards in 2013 and 2014.
2019 Ballon d’Or
Messi won his sixth Ballon d’Or in 2019, four years after his previous victory. He had another prolific year with Barcelona, helping the club win La Liga while finishing as the Champions League’s top scorer.
Luka Modrić had won the award in 2018, but Messi returned to first place in the voting in 2019.
2021 Ballon d’Or
Messi won his seventh Ballon d’Or in 2021 after helping Argentina win the Copa América, his first major senior international trophy with the national team.
Messi was Argentina’s leading figure during the tournament and scored four goals, while also providing five assists. The victory ended Argentina’s 28-year wait for a major men’s international trophy.
The award also came during a major club transition. Messi left Barcelona in August 2021 and joined Paris Saint-Germain.
2023 Ballon d’Or
Messi’s eighth and most recent Ballon d’Or arrived in 2023, adding another chapter to an already remarkable record.
The award came in the aftermath of Argentina’s 2022 FIFA World Cup triumph, a tournament where Messi delivered decisive performances throughout.
His performances during the World Cup in Qatar provided the central narrative to his 2023 award voting.
Argentina’s path to the title was defined by Messi’s leadership, experience and crucial goals during knockout stages.
Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé were among the leading contenders. Haaland produced a prolific 2022–23 season with Manchester City, while Mbappé won the Golden Boot at the 2022 World Cup.
Messi, meanwhile, had won the tournament’s Golden Ball after leading Argentina to the World Cup title.
Messi ultimately won the 2023 Ballon d’Or ahead of Haaland and Mbappé, claiming the award for the eighth time.
How Many Ballon d’Or Awards Did Messi Win in a Row?
Messi won four consecutive Ballon d’Or awards from 2009 through 2012. He was the first player to win the award four times, and no player had previously won it in four successive editions.
Cristiano Ronaldo won the award in 2013 and 2014, ending Messi’s four-year run. Messi returned to the top in 2015.
How Many Ballon d’Or Awards Does Messi Have Compared With Ronaldo?
| Player | Ballon d’Or Awards |
| Lionel Messi | 8 |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | 5 |
Messi has won eight Ballon d’Or awards, while Cristiano Ronaldo has won five. Messi’s eight victories are the most in the history of the award, while Ronaldo’s five are second. For a full look at Ronaldo’s record, see How Many Ballon d’Or Awards Does Cristiano Ronaldo Have?.
Did Messi Win the FIFA Ballon d’Or?
Yes. Messi won the FIFA Ballon d’Or four times, in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015.
Those four awards are included in his overall total of eight Ballon d’Or victories. His other wins came in 2009, 2019, 2021 and 2023, when France Football presented the award independently.
Messi’s Ballon d’Or Wins by Club
| Club | Ballon d’Or Wins |
| Barcelona | 6 |
| Paris Saint-Germain | 1 |
| Inter Miami | 1 |
| Total | 8 |
Six of Messi’s eight Ballon d’Or awards came while he was a Barcelona player. His other two came after leaving the club, with one awarded while he was at Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 and another while he was at Inter Miami in 2023.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Ballon d’Or awards does Lionel Messi have?
Messi has won the Ballon d’Or eight times. This total stands as the most in the award’s history.
When did Messi win his first Ballon d’Or?
Messi won his first Ballon d’Or in 2009 at age 22.
When did Messi win his eighth Ballon d’Or?
Messi won his eighth and most recent Ballon d’Or in 2023, after joining Inter Miami earlier that year.
How many consecutive Ballon d’Or awards did Messi win?
Messi won four consecutive Ballon d’Or awards from 2009 through 2012.
Did Messi win the FIFA Ballon d’Or?
Yes. Messi won the FIFA Ballon d’Or four times: 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015. These are included in his total eight Ballon d’Or victories.
Who has more Ballon d’Or awards, Messi or Ronaldo?
Messi has eight Ballon d’Or awards, while Cristiano Ronaldo has five.
Has Messi won more Ballon d’Or awards than anyone else?
Yes. Messi’s eight Ballon d’Or wins represent the most in the award’s history.
Conclusion
Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or eight times: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023.
Four of those victories came during the FIFA Ballon d’Or era, when France Football and FIFA combined their individual men’s awards. His other four were presented under the standalone Ballon d’Or name by France Football.
Messi won six of these awards while representing Barcelona, one as a Paris Saint-Germain player and one while representing Inter Miami.
His eight total awards remain the most in Ballon d’Or history. For the complete historical record, see our complete Ballon d’Or winners list.
