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Top 10 Footballers With The Most Individual Awards

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Although football is a team sport where collective success is superior to that of the individual, players are still judged based on the number of (prestigious) individual awards they’ve won.

Football players with the most individual trophies are highly ambitious to succeed both with the team and on a personal level.

There are various individual awards that footballers win, but the ones fans mostly reckon with are the prestigious accolades like the Ballon d’Or, FIFA World Player of the Year, European Golden shoe, UEFA Player of the Year, Golden Boots, and the awards obtained at the end of prestigious tournaments like the UEFA Champions League, FIFA World Cup, and continental tournaments.

In this article, we presents you with the top 10 footballers that have won the most individual awards. The criteria used in this post are based on the most prestigious awards.

1. Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi is arguably the greatest player of all time. The Argentine maestro has won it all in terms of trophies (except the FIFA World Cup) and individual awards.

He has the most Ballon d’Ors in history, with 7.

Awards

2. Cristiano Ronaldo

Like Messi, one can also argue that Cristiano Ronaldo is the greatest player of all time. The Portuguese goal machine has also won it all, achieving success individually, at both club and international levels (except the FIFA World Cup). He has won a fair number individual awards.

Ronaldo has the 2nd most Ballon d’Or wins, with 5.

Awards

3. Ronaldo de Lima

Ronaldo Nazário de Lima is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time. He was a multi-functional striker who brought a new dimension to the position in his prime. His playing style influenced the generation of strikers that have followed. He is also one of the highest goalscorers in World Cup history.

Ronaldo’s individual accolades include being named FIFA World Player of the Year 3 times and winning 2 Ballon d’Or awards. However, Ronaldo is one of the few Ballon d’Or winners who never won the Champions League.

Awards

4. Marco van Basten

Widely regarded as one of the greatest strikers in football history, Marco van Basten scored 300 goals in his career.

He was famous for his close ball control, attacking intelligence, impeccable headers, and spectacular volleys. At club level, he won major trophies with Ajax and AC Milan. At international level, Van Basten won UEFA Euro 1988 with the Netherlands.

Van Basten was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1992 and won the Ballon d’Or 3 times in 1988, 1989, and 1992.

Awards

5. Johan Cruyff

Johan Cruyff is not just one of the best managers in football history. He is also one of the greatest players ever. He won the Ballon d’Or 3 times in 1971, 1973 and 1974. The Dutchman is one of the best players who became successful coaches, and revolutionalized the beautiful game.

Awards

6. Michel Platini

Former UEFA President, Michel Platini, is regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time. He won the Ballon d’Or 3 times in a row in 1983, 1984, and 1985 and came 7th in the FIFA Player of the Century vote.

Awards

7. Alfredo Di Stéfano

Alfredo Di Stéfano is one of the greatest footballers of all time. He is best known for his achievements with Real Madrid, where he was instrumental in the club’s domination of the European Cup (now UEFA Champions League) and La Liga during the 1950s.

He won the Ballon d’Or 3 times in 1957,1959 and 1989 (Super Ballon d’or)

Awards

8. Zinedine Zidane

Widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, Zidane was a playmaker renowned for his elegance, vision, passing, ball control, and technique.

He won many individual awards as a player, including being named FIFA World Player of the Year in 1998, 2000, and 2003, and winning the 1998 Ballon d’Or.

Awards

9. Eusébio

Eusébio da Silva Ferreira was a Portuguese striker who is considered one of the greatest players of all time and Benfica’s greatest ever Player.

He was known for his speed, technique, athleticism, and his ferocious right-footed shot, making him a prolific goalscorer.

During his professional career, he scored 733 goals in 745 matches, and he is Benfica’s all-time top scorer with 473 goals in 440 competitive matches.

He won the Ballon d’Or in 1965 and was runner-up in 1962 and 1966.

Awards

10. Gerd Müller

Gerd Müller was a German striker famous for his clinical finishing and widely regarded as one of the greatest goalscorers in football history. He won the Ballon d’Or in 1970.

Awards

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