Top 5 Ballon d'Or winners

5. Michel Platini

The French icon is one of the few players to clinch the coveted award three years in a row. 1983, 1984 and 1985, winning Euro '84 with France and guiding Juventus to a Champions League win and several Serie A titles.

4. Marco Van Basten

The Dutchman is considered one of the best strikers of all time. He won his first Ballon d'Or in 1988, the year he scored an 'impossible' goal in the European Championship final, and reclaimed the award in 1989 and 1992.

3. Johan Cruyff

He transformed football in the 1970's, leading Holland to a World Cup final in 1974. His exploits for Ajax and Barcelona earned him a place among the best footballers in history. He won the award three times: 1971, 1972 and 1974.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo

The Portuguese striker has won the Ballon d'Or four times, doing so for the first time in 2008. After leaving Manchester United, he won it again in 2013, 2014 and 2016.

1. Lionel Messi

For now, the Argentine is the only player to claim the award five times. He was unstoppable in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, and took home another Ballon d'Or in 2015.