5 clubs with the most Ballon d'Or wins in history
The Ballon d'Or is the most prestigious individual award in football. It was started in 1956, initially for only the European players, before it was expanded to all players at European clubs in 1995 and then to every player worldwide in 2007.
Yet only 38 players in history have won the prestigious award. They include several bonafide legends of the game, who put up superb individual performances to help their sides to numerous titles.
On that note, here's a look at the five clubs to have produced the most Ballon d'Or winners:
#4 Bayern Munich - 5
The only German club on the list, Bayern Munich have produced three Ballon d'Or winners - Gerd Muller, Franz Beckenbauer and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
Der Bomber was the first winner of the Ballon d'Or award, which he won in 1970, with Beckenbauer joining him in 1972; the latter also won another one in 1976.
Rummenigge, who last month stepped down as the club's CEO after 19 years in charge, is the only Bavarian star to have won the award in back-to-back years, doing so in 1981 and 1982.
Bayern Munich could've had one more - Robert Lewandowski - but that was not to be after the Ballon d'Or award for 2020 got cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Polish ace was the best player in the year by a mile and played a key role in helping Bayern win their second continental treble. He's also in the reckoning for the award this year too.
Five other Bayern Munich players have reached the top three in the race for the Ballon d'Or award, including Olivier Kahn, Franck Ribery and Manuel Neuer.
#T3 AC Milan - 8
AC Milan were once a force to be reckoned with in Europe, and the fact that players from the club have won eight Ballon d'Or award winners is a testament to the same.
Gianni Rivera was the first Milan player to win the Ballon d'Or award, which he won in 1969. Ruud Gullit (1987) was the next Milan player to land the prestigious award before his teammate Marco van Basten won the next two.
Van Basten won his third Ballon d'Or award in 1992 before George Weah followed suit three years later. Weah created history by becoming the first non-European player to land the award; he won it despite the Rossoneri losing in the final of the Champions League that year.
Andriy Shevchenko, after two unsuccessful nominations, landed his first Ballon d'Or award in 2004 before Kaka, another club legend, claimed the award in 2007.
In fact, no Milan player has made the top three nominations for the Ballon d'Or award since then. But after a runner-up finish in the Serie A last season, things could be looking for the club.