Precisely, we will review the Argentine soccer players who have already managed to win the most important individual award in the world of soccer. In total, there are three of them, with a special asterisk that adds a fourth.
The Argentines who won the Ballon d’Or
The first to achieve it was Alfredo Di Stefano in 1957 and 1959. The “Saeta Rubia”, born in 1926 in Barracas, Buenos Aires, debuted in River Plate and many years later he arrived at Real Madrid, where he became a global figure.
Until 1995, the award was only given to European footballers. Di Stefano He had become a Spanish national and even played for that team.
The second Argentine to win the Ballon d’Or was Omar Sivoriin 1961. The left-hand hitch, symbol of the Argentine pasture, was born in 1935 in San Nicolás de los Arroyos. Also emerging from River Plate, where he won the three-time championship in 1955/56/57, he was champion with the Argentine team in the 1957 Copa América.
Later, Juventus of Italy bought him, where he became an idol and absolute figure. With the Italian team he played in the 1962 World Cup in Chile.
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The third was Diego Armando Maradonaalthough with an asterisk. Since in his time as a player he could not win it because he was not European, in 1995 the magazine France Football gave him a Honorary Ballon d’Or for his career and performance in the 1986 World Cup.
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Finally, the player with the most Ballon d’Ors in history: Lionel Messiwith 8. The man from Rosario is the great winner of the 21st century, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo, by winning the record number of trophies.
The captain of the Argentine team became the winner in the editions of 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023.
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Total Ballon d’Or awards from Argentina:
- Alfredo Di Stefano: 2
- Omar Sívori: 1
- Lionel Messi: 8
- Diego Maradona: 1 (honorary)
- In total: 12
The ranking of the countries with the most Ballon d’Or awards (until 10/27/24):
- Argentina – 11
- Germany – 7
- France – 7
- Portugal – 7
- Brazil – 5
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
