5 Barcelona stars apart from Lionel Messi to win the Ballon d’Or
FC Barcelona is the most successful club to win the Ballon d’Or trophy. 6 Barcelona players have won it 11 times for the club making their trophy count 1 above the 10 trophies won by Real Madrid.
The most successful player to win the Ballon d’Or is definitely the superstar of FC Barcelona - Lionel Messi who had won it 5 times. But then, who were the other 5 players who had previously won the trophy 6 times for Barcelona? That’s why we are here for.
A look at the 5 Barcelona players apart for Lionel Messi who had won the coveted Ballon d’Or trophy.
#5 Luis Suárez - 1960
Not to be mistaken by the Uruguay footballer Luis Suarez, who also plays for FC Barcelona presently. Luis Suárez Miramontes was a Spanish footballer who played for Barcelona between 1955 and 1961. And he won the Ballon d’Or trophy in the year 1960 while he was at FC Barcelona to become the first Barcelona player to win the fancied trophy.
He appeared 122 times for Barcelona during those years and scored 61 times. He was noted for his elegant style of play in the midfield and was considered the most expensive footballer in 1961 when Inter Milan bought him from FC Barcelona.
1960 was not the only year in which he broke into the top 3 of Ballon d’Or. Luis Suárez was adjudged second best in 1961 and 1964, while he was third best in 1965. One interesting fact is that he lost the consecutive second Ballon d’Or in 1961 with Inter Milan for just 6 points. One might wonder, had he stayed back at FC Barcelona, wouldn't he have won it again?
He later turned Manager and went on to coach the Spanish National team and the Inter Milan side multiple times. Luis Suárez, though was more successful at Inter Milan than he was at FC Barcelona, he will remember the later club with a smile as he had won the Ballon d’Or trophy at FC Barcelona.