Winning the Ballon d’Or, global football’s most coveted individual award, is every player’s desire. Combining it with titles from two of the game’s most major competitions, the Champions League and the World Cup, is an even more incredible feat that just nine footballers in history have accomplished.
With Barcelona great Lionel Messi joining the exclusive list following a World Cup victory in 2022, the Argentina player became the sole addition in the last 18 years, and many are wondering who will follow in his footsteps. That is, until Ousmane Dembele won the Ballon d’Or in 2025.
As described later, the Frenchman is among only ten players to have won all three trophies. Of course, it’s an exclusive club, and it excludes players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Johan Cruyff, and Ronaldo Nazario.
Bobby Charlton
Sir Bobby Charlton, widely regarded as one of the greatest players in Manchester United history, won the Ballon d’Or in 1966 after helping the Three Lions win their first – and only! – World Cup by scoring crucial goals en route to the trophy, including two in the semi-final against Eusebio-led Portugal.
Ashington-born Charlton added the European Cup (later renamed the Champions League) to his collection two years later, in 1968, when he scored twice in the final against Benfica, who were once again led by Eusebio. He became the first player in history to win all three major awards.
Gerd Muller
Gerd Muller, a true star in Bayern Munich circles, won the prestigious Ballon d’Or trophy in 1970 after an amazing year at both the club and international level. The prolific centre-forward scored ten goals in that year’s World Cup and 38 goals in 33 Bundesliga games.
The free scoring Muller added a World Cup trophy to his collection four years later, in 1974, when he scored the winning goal in the final against a formidable Dutch team. He also guided his German employers, who were used to winning domestic titles, to three consecutive European Cups from 1974 to 1976.
Franz Beckenbauer
The second German superstar on this list, Franz Beckenbauer, defied the tradition of defenders being overlooked in the Ballon d’Or rankings. In fact, he is the only defender to have won football’s most elusive individual title numerous times. The graceful sweeper won the Golden Ball in 1972 and 1976, demonstrating Beckenbauer’s dominance at the time.
In addition to his two victories on the largest platform, Beckenbauer captained West Germany to victory in the 1974 World Cup at home and was a teammate of the aforementioned Muller when Bayern won three European Cups in a row from 1974 to 1976.
Paulo Rossi
Often overlooked among the names on this list, Italian line-leader Paolo Rossi dominated the 1982 World Cup, leading Italy to their third-ever title by scoring an eye-catching six goals, including a famous hat-trick against Brazil, and winning both the Golden Boot and the Golden Ball after an incredible individual performance.
Rossi’s heroics earned him the Ballon d’Or later that year, and in 1985, he completed the ultimate trifecta by winning the European Cup with Serie A champions Juventus. His teammates included the renowned trio Michel Platini, Gaetano Scirea, and Antonio Cabrini, but Rossi stood out the most.
Zinedine Zidane
Zinedine Zidane, a former Real Madrid and Juventus midfielder, is largely considered as one of history’s best playmakers, and his impressive career demonstrates why. Zidane was the highlight of France’s 1998 World Cup victory, scoring twice in the final against Brazil and collecting the tournament’s Bronze Ball; he also won the Ballon d’Or later that year.
The Frenchman, who later became a great manager with Los Blancos, only won the Champions League once as a player, in 2001/02, when he famously scored that incredible volley in the final against Bayer Leverkusen. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest goals of all time. Watch it below.
Rivaldo
Rivaldo, a Brazilian icon, won the Ballon d’Or in 1999 after an outstanding individual season with Barcelona, scoring 37 goals in all competitions, cementing his position as one of the best attacking midfielders of all time. Rivaldo also played an important role in Brazil’s 2002 World Cup victory, forming a deadly trio with Ronaldo and Ronaldinho and scoring five goals and one assist on the way to the trophy.
He completed the treble by winning the Champions League with AC Milan the following year, despite being benched in the final against Juventus. Rivaldo became only the sixth player to win the Ballon d’Or, the Champions League, and international football’s most prestigious honour.
Ronaldinho
No doubt one of the most naturally gifted footballers of all time, Ronaldinho – or R10 as he was affectionately known – won the 2002 World Cup alongside Rivaldo and the Ballon d’Or three years later, following a La Liga-winning season at Barcelona in 2004/05. He contributed 30 goals (13 goals and 17 assists) during that time period.
An elegant forward who left defenders in his wake with his tricks and flicks, he won the Champions League a year later with the Catalans and played an important role in lifting the trophy, scoring seven goals and providing five assists in 12 appearances under Frank Rijkaard’s management.
Kaka
Kaka, the third and final Brazilian player on our list, helped Brazil win the World Cup in 2002, albeit in a minor manner as a 20-year-old with only one appearance. By 2007, the aggressive midfielder had reached his zenith, leading AC Milan to Champions League success with powerful performances, including three goals against Manchester United in the semi-finals.
Later that year, Kaka won the Ballon d’Or, becoming the only player to do it before the dominant era of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The languid star’s 2006/07 season, in which he interrupted the Cristiano Ronaldo-Lionel Messi duopoly, will live on in football mythology.
Lionel Messi
Finally, Lionel Messi became the ninth player in football history to win the Ballon d’Or, the Champions League, and the World Cup, winning the latter in 2022. Messi added to his already impressive trophy cabinet by leading Argentina to victory in Qatar, cementing his place as probably the greatest footballer of all time.
The Argentinian forward, now on the books of Inter Miami, won his first Champions League with former La Liga employers Barcelona in 2006 and added another three more by 2015, while his consistent brilliance also earned him a record eight Ballon d’Or titles – which is the most by any player in football history.
Ousmane Dembele
Ousmane Demebele won the Ballon d’Or in 2025, edging off Barcelona duo Raphinha and Lamine Yamal in the process. Kylian Mbappe, formerly seen as a washout at Barcelona, rose to prominence in the French capital after leaving Paris Saint-Germain, and he was instrumental in the club’s first Champions League title, which they won against Inter Milan.
PSG, coached by Luis Enrique, stunned the world by defeating Inter 5-0 in the Champions League final, and while Dembele did not score, he was instrumental in launching the attack. On the international scene, the winger-turned-striker won the World Cup for France in 2018. Didier Deschamps’ team defeated Croatia 4-2.
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