Top three players to win three consecutive Ballon d'Ors

Every year, the Ballon d’Or honors the best male and female footballers in the world—recognizing their outstanding performances for both club and country. It’s one of the most prestigious individual awards in football, and winning it is often seen as the ultimate achievement in a player’s career.

For most players, just being nominated is a dream. Winning it even once is a career-defining moment. But for a select few, lifting the Ballon d’Or has become a regular occurrence. Two of the sport’s all-time greats, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, dominated the award for more than a decade—Ronaldo winning it five times, and Messi a record eight.

Over the years, only a handful of players have managed the rare feat of winning the Ballon d’Or in three consecutive years—something that highlights not just talent, but consistent excellence at the highest level.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at three legendary players who have achieved the remarkable milestone of winning the Ballon d’Or three times in a row.

Footballers to win three consecutive Ballon d’Ors

3. Michel Platini: 1983, 1984, 1985

Michel Platini was the first player to win the Ballon d’Or three years in a row — a remarkable feat that highlighted his brilliance as an attacking midfielder. Known for his incredible goal-scoring ability, Platini made his mark at every club he played for.

He began his professional career at French club Nancy, where his talent quickly stood out. His knack for scoring goals from midfield earned him recognition as one of the brightest prospects in French football.

From there, he moved to Saint-Étienne, where he continued to impress and solidified his reputation as a top-class player. His performances caught the eye of European giants Juventus, who signed him to bolster their midfield.

At Juventus, Platini reached the peak of his career. He became one of the best midfielders in the world and won the prestigious Ballon d’Or three years in a row — in 1983, 1984, and 1985 — cementing his legacy as one of football’s all-time greats.

2. Lionel Messi: 2009, 2010, 2011

No player in history has won the Ballon d’Or more times than Lionel Messi. It all began in 2009, and since then, the Argentine has dominated the award like no other. At a young age, he went on to win it two more times in a row, becoming just the second player ever to claim the prestigious prize three consecutive years.

Most of his Ballon d’Or titles came during his time at Barcelona, where he dazzled the world with his performances. His most recent win came while he was at PSG, following an incredible international run that saw him lift both the Copa América and the World Cup with Argentina.

With a record-breaking eight Ballon d’Or titles to his name, Messi has set a benchmark that will be incredibly difficult for anyone to surpass.

1. Aitana Bonmati: 2023, 2024, 2025

The Ballon d'Or Féminin was first introduced in 2018 to honor the best female footballer in the world each year. Recently, Aitana Bonmatí made history by winning the award for the third consecutive time. She is now the first and only woman to achieve this incredible feat, cementing her place among the all-time greats of the game.

Cover Credits - Goal.com