Messi won his sixth prize and broke the tie for that particular Clásico, which is now 12 to 11 in favor of the culés.
Cristiano Ronaldo tied Lionel Messi for trophies in 2017, with five each. In this way, Real Madrid closed the gap with Barcelona, as the clubs with the most players received the Ballon d’Or. The Catalans remained the most successful entity in this award with 11, ahead of Real Madrid (10). However, Luka Modric showed up and leveled things up in 2018. And Leo Messi again found things unequal in favor of the Catalans in 2019. Things were level again in 2022 when Karim Benzema won the Ballon d’Or, establishing himself as the best player of that year.
In 2020, it was decided not to award the prize due to the pandemic.
GOAL See which clubs have collected the most trophies throughout history.
BARCELONA (12)
1960: Luis Suarez (Spain)
1973: Johan Cruijff (Netherlands)
1974: Johan Cruijff (Netherlands)
1994: Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria)
1999: Rivaldo (Brazil)
2005: Ronaldinho Gaúcho (Brazil)
2009: Leo Messi (Argentina)
2010: Leo Messi (Argentina)
2011: Leo Messi (Argentina)
2012: Leo Messi (Argentina)
2015: Leo Messi (Argentina)
2019: Leo Messi (Argentina)
REAL MADRID (12)
1957: Alfredo Di Stéfano (Argentina)
1958: Raymond Kopa (France)
1959: Alfredo Di Stéfano (Argentina)
2000: Luis Figo (Portugal)
2002: Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima (Brazil)
2006: Fabio Cannavaro (Italy)
2013: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2014: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2016: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2017: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2018: Luka Modric (Croatia)
2022: Karim Benzema (France)
Getty
MILAN (8)
1969: Gianni Rivera (Italy)
1987: Ruud Gullit (Netherlands)
1988: Marco van Basten (Netherlands)
1989: Marco van Basten (Netherlands)
1992: Marco van Basten (Netherlands)
1995: George Weah (Liberia)
2004: Andriy Shevchenko (Ukraine)
2007: Kaka (Brazil)
Getty Images
JUVENTUS (8)
1961: Omar Sívori (Italy)
1982: Paolo Rossi (Italy)
1983: Michel Platini (France)
1984: Michel Platini (France)
1985: Michel Platini (France)
1993: Roberto Baggio (Italy)
1998: Zinedine Zidane (France)
2003: Pavel Nedvěd (Czech Republic)
BAYERN MUNICH (5)
1970: Gerd Müller (Germany)
1972: Franz Beckenbauer (Germany)
1976: Franz Beckenbauer (Germany)
1980: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (Germany)
1981: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (Germany)
Source: Goal