3. Portugal – 7 times
Player | Team | Year |
Eusebio | Benfica | 1965 |
Luis Figo | Real Madrid | 2000 |
Cristiano Ronaldo | Manchester United Real Madrid | 2008 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017 |
Three different Portuguese players have won the award. The first Portuguese player to win the award was Eusebio in 1965. Luis Figo narrowly beat Zidane to win the award in 2000.
In 2008, Cristiano Ronaldo won his first Ballon d’Or playing for Manchester United, and he won the award again in 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017.