France has now joined Argentina at the very top of the Ballon d’Or leaderboard after Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembélé clinched the 2025 edition on Monday night in Paris.
Dembélé’s victory means France now boasts 8 Ballon d’Or titles, tying with Argentina, who previously held the record solely through Lionel Messi’s legendary eight wins.
Unlike Argentina, France’s triumphs have come from a wider pool of players, including icons like Michel Platini, Zinédine Zidane, Karim Benzema, and now Dembélé.
Here’s a breakdown of the countries dominating the Ballon d’Or rankings after the 2025 edition:
1. Argentina – 8 wins
- All achieved by Lionel Messi, making him the single most decorated player in the ballon d’or award’s history.
2. France – 8 wins
- Shared across six players: Michel Platini, Jean-Pierre Papin, Zinédine Zidane, Karim Benzema, Raymond Kopa, and now Ousmane Dembélé.
3. Germany – 7 wins
- Powered by legends such as Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Müller, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, and others.
4. Netherlands – 7 wins
- With Johan Cruyff, Marco van Basten, and Ruud Gullit leading the way.
5. Portugal – 7 wins
- Cristiano Ronaldo alone accounts for five of these titles, cementing his country’s place among the greats.
6. Italy – 5 wins
- Notable winners include Paolo Rossi, Roberto Baggio, and Fabio Cannavaro.
7. Brazil – 5 wins
- Icons like Ronaldo Nazário, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, and Kaká delivered glory.
8. England – 5 wins
- Winners include Sir Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan, and Michael Owen.
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