Messi, Ronaldo or Platini? Top 10 Ballon d'Or Winners

Cruyff was the first player to win the Ballon d'Or 3 times, in 1971, 1973 and 1974, and was World Cup runner-up in 1974. Hendrik Johannes Cruyff was born on 25 April 1947 in Amsterdam. The Ballon d'Or winners table lists him 1st in 1971 with Ajax (116 points), 1st in 1973 with Barcelona (96 points) and 1st in 1974 with Barcelona (116 points). He later refused to play at the 1978 World Cup after a kidnapping attempt targeting him and his family in Barcelona.

Van Basten won the Ballon d'Or in 1988, 1989 and 1992 and won Euro 1988 with the Netherlands. Marcel van Basten was born on 31 October 1964 in Utrecht. His Wikipedia page says he won the Ballon d'Or 3 times, in 1988, 1989 and 1992, and was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1992. It says he was the 3rd player, after Johan Cruyff and Michel Platini, to win the award 3 times. At club level he won 3 Eredivisie titles and the Cup Winners' Cup with Ajax, and 4 Serie A titles and 3 European Cups with Milan. With the Netherlands he won UEFA Euro 1988, earned the Golden Boot with 5 goals, and scored in the final against the Soviet Union.

Brazilian Ronaldo won 2 Ballons d'Or and is listed as a World Cup winner in 1994 and 2002. Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima was born on 18 September 1976 in Itaguaí. His Wikipedia page says his individual accolades include 2 Ballon d'Or awards and being named FIFA World Player of the Year 3 times. The Ballon d'Or page says the 2-time winner was the first South American to win the award and remains the youngest recipient, at 21 years and 96 days. His medal record lists World Cup wins in 1994 and 2002 and a runner-up finish in 1998. The page says he was the youngest member of the 1994 squad, received the Golden Ball at the 1998 tournament, and scored twice in the 2002 final, taking the Golden Boot. He played 98 matches for Brazil and scored 62 goals.

Beckenbauer won the award twice, in 1972 and 1976, and won the 1974 World Cup as captain of West Germany. Franz Anton Beckenbauer was born on 11 September 1945 in Munich. He lifted the World Cup as captain in 1974 and again as manager in 1990. His player medal record lists the 1974 win and runner-up finishes in 1966 and 1970, plus a 1972 European Championship win.

Keegan was European Footballer of the Year in both 1978 and 1979, the England captain's only Ballon d'Or years. Joseph Kevin Keegan was born on 14 February 1951 in Armthorpe. His Wikipedia page says he was named European Footballer of the Year in both 1978 and 1979. The Ballon d'Or table lists him 1st in 1978 with Hamburger SV on 87 points and 1st in 1979 with Hamburger SV on 118 points. Hamburg won the 1978-79 Bundesliga and reached the 1980 European Cup final. He scored 21 goals in 63 caps for England and captained the team on 31 occasions, including at UEFA Euro 1980. The career summary does not list a World Cup title.

Rummenigge won 2 Ballons d'Or, in 1980 and 1981, and was a World Cup runner-up in 1982 and 1986. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge was born on 25 September 1955 in Lippstadt. His Wikipedia page says he won 2 Ballon d'Or awards, in 1980 and 1981. The 1980 winners table lists him 1st with Bayern Munich on 122 points. With Bayern he won the Intercontinental Cup, 2 European Cups, 2 league titles and 2 domestic cups. He joined Bayern in 1974 from Borussia Lippstadt. In 1979-80 he scored 26 goals and became the Bundesliga's top striker, repeating that in 1981 with 29 goals and in 1984 with 26. For West Germany he won Euro 1980 and captained the squad that finished runner-up at the 1982 and 1986 World Cups. In 2004 Pelé named him in the FIFA 100.

Di Stéfano won the Ballon d'Or in 1957 and 1959 and never played a match at the World Cup. The Ballon d'Or table lists him 1st in 1957 with Real Madrid on 72 points and 1st in 1959 with Real Madrid on 80 points. His page says he was awarded the Ballon d'Or in 1957 and 1959. He helped Argentina win the Copa América in 1947. The same page says that, although he played for 3 national teams, he never played a single match at the FIFA World Cup. His 49 goals in the European Cup were the highest of any player at the time. The Ballon d'Or page records that he received the honorary Super Ballon d'Or in 1989, a separate vote from the annual award.