Top three players to win three consecutive Ballon d'Ors

Aitana Bonmati is the most recent player to win it in a row.

Every year, the Ballon d’Or recognises one of the best female and male football players for their successful season with teams and individually. Winning the award is considered the pinnacle of a player’s career, as the prize is one of the most coveted in the sport. Every football star always dreams of winning that coveted prize at least once in their playing career.

Meanwhile, for some, it becomes a norm. In the history of the award, two players have even competed for more than a decade to decide the winner. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have lifted the Golden Ball five and eight times, respectively.

We have even witnessed how a handful of players have gone on to win the award consecutively in their careers. With that in mind, we take a look at three players who have won the award three times in a row in their careers.

Players to win three consecutive Ballon d’Ors

3. Michel Platini: 1983, 1984, 1985

Michel Platini was the first player to win three in a row in his career. The attacking midfielder was renowned for his goal-scoring attributes as he shone at all three clubs he played for.

He started his career at the French club Nancy. There, he came to the fore and was recognised as one of the talented midfielders for his goalscoring exploits.

He later joined Saint-Étienne, where he further cemented his status. His performance propelled Juventus to sign him. At the top Serie A club, Platini became one of the best midfielders, winning the Golden Ball three times in a row.

2. Lionel Messi: 2009, 2010, 2011

No player in the history of the award has won it more times than Lionel Messi. It all started in 2009, and since then, nobody has been able to halt the Argentine player’s dominance in the award. At such a young age, Messi proceeded to win two more, making him the second player in the history of the award to win it three times consecutively.

The majority of his awards have come in a Barcelona shirt, while the last one came when he was with PSG, during a successful period where he won the Copa America and the World Cup with Argentina. His tally is eight wins. Such a big record will certainly take a beating to overcome his Ballon d’Or tally.

1. Aitana Bonmati: 2023, 2024, 2025

The Ballon d’Or Féminin was first awarded in 2018. Since then, it has also recognised the performance of the best female football player.

Aitana Bonmati recently joined the exclusive list of Ballon d’Or winners after winning her third award in a row. She is the first and only woman to win it three times in a row.

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