Ranking Brazil's 4 Ballon d'Or winners of all time
Football is widely regarded as 'the beautiful game' with Brazil over the decades becoming the flagbearers of 'Jogo Bonito' due to their style. Selecao's samba brand of football is renowned for its grace and flair, giving us countless moments of pure joy in the game.
To say that Brazil breathes football is the perfect way to signify their immense love for the game. The Latin American side has been one of the significant reasons behind the beauty in football.
Brazil boasts a rich history, winning the FIFA World Cup a record five times. They have also won the FIFA Confederations Cup a record four times, and the Copa America on nine occasions.
Brazil have produced some of the greatest footballers to ever grace the game throughout their history. From Pele to Neymar, numerous Brazilian greats have emerged and dominated football in an unprecedented manner.
The Ballon d'Or is the most prestigious award handed to the best footballer of the year. Unfortunately, many Brazilian greats were not eligible due to the selection criteria of Ballon d'Or till 1995 that only honored European players. Some of the Brazilians have won the coveted prize since a change in the rules in 1995.
On that note, let us take a look at
Brazil's 4 Ballon d'Or winners
#4 Ricardo Kaka
One of the modern greats, Kaka was the Ballon d'Or winner in 2007 before the domination of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo began. Renowned for his technical skills, Kaka had a unique elegance and style with the ball. The Brazilian's daunting forward runs and vision made him almost unstoppable for the defenders.
From Milan to Madrid and back again 🙌
🇧🇷 Kaká scored some very special #UCL goals!
#TBT | @KAKA https://t.co/MG4SuB9qxA
During his tenure at AC Milan, Kaka was at his absolute best. He enjoyed his best campaign in 2007, leading Milan to a Champions League triumph while being the tournament's top goalscorer (10). For his exploits, the midfielder was awarded the Ballon d'Or award in 2007.
#3 Rivaldo
Even before the likes of Ronaldinho and Kaka dominated world football, Rivaldo left an incredible mark on his nation. The 'bandy-legged genius' was an integral part of the Brazil team which reached the 1998 World Cup final. They won the 1999 Copa America and 2002 World Cup.
In addition to being Brazil's talisman, Rivaldo enjoyed a successful tenure with Barcelona in the early 2000s. The Brazilian forward helped Barcelona win four titles in five campaigns and scored 130 goals for the club.
Rivaldo,Barcelona,(1999). https://t.co/PL9M5FOB65
Rivaldo was awarded the Ballon d'Or in 1999 after helping the Catalan giants win the La Liga title. He was also the best player in Brazil's Copa America triumph.