How many times has Messi won the men’s Ballon d’Or? Who has the most of all time?

Inter Miami and Argentina star Lionel Messi is expected to receive the men’s Ballon d’Or yet again when the award is handed out in Paris.

Lionel Messi is widely expected to be announced as the winner of the 2023 men’s Ballon d’Or when the award is presented on Monday.

Messi is the stand-out name on a 30-man shortlist for France Football’s world-player-of-the-year prize - an accolade that he has already received on seven occasions in his illustrious career.

The 36-year-old is being heavily tipped for this year’s award, which takes into account players’ performances during the 2022/23 season, after captaining Argentina to victory at the men’s World Cup in November and December 2022.

The scorer of seven goals in Qatar - just one fewer than the Golden Boot winner, France’s Kylian Mbappé - Messi won the Golden Ball as the best player at the tournament.

Messi’s previous men’s Ballon d’Or wins came in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019 and 2021.

No other player in history has received the award as often as the Barcelona legend, who spent a trophy-laden 17 seasons in the Blaugrana first team before leaving for a two-year spell at Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.

After Messi, the second-most frequent winner of the men’s Ballon d’Or is Cristiano Ronaldo, who has scooped the prize five times: in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017.

Were Messi to win his eighth Ballon d’Or, the Inter Miami forward would become the first player ever to receive the award while at a non-European club - albeit the honour would have little to do with his achievements since leaving PSG for MLS this summer.

The men’s Ballon d’Or’s international jury of journalists are asked to vote for their winner based on players’ performances during the period between August of the