Lionel Messi

The most decorated Argentine player in history, Lionel Messi has won eight Ballon d'Or awards—twice as many as the runner-up on this list. His crowning achievement came in 2022 when he led Argentina to the World Cup title, scoring seven goals and providing three assists. No other Argentine has matched his 672 club goals for Barcelona or his 106 international strikes. His 91 goals in a single calendar year (2012) remain a world record, surpassing Gerd Müller's previous mark.