Only eight footballers who won it all - the World Cup, Champions League and Ballon d’Or
Only eight players have owned it all. And three of them are from Brazil.
Some play football to follow their passion, some for money. But the dream remains the same. Every professional footballer wants to win more and more trophies.
At the national level, the Fifa World Cup is the most prestigious trophy. A club prefers the Champions League more than Fifa Club World Cup. And the Ballon d'Or is on the top as an individual achievement.
Only eight players have owned it all. And three of them are from Brazil.
The Business Standard (TBS) makes the list of eight gems who have won all three.
1) Bobby Charlton ( England, Manchester United)
Manchester United legend Charlton was the first player to achieve this honor. He scored 309 goals in 913 matches.
He won the World Cup in 1966 with England. The same year he got his Ballon d'Or. Right after two years, in the 1967-68 season, he lifted the trophy of the Uefa Champions League (European Cup).
2) Gerd Muller (Germany, Bayern Munich)
German legend Muller died on the 15th of August 2021, aged 75.
Muller scored 722 goals in just 778 appearances. Without any doubt, he was one of the greatest strikers in football history. He won a combined 16 trophies in his career.
He won the Ballon d'Or in 1970. In 1974 he won the Fifa World Cup. The German won three European Cups in 1974, 1975, and 1976.
3) Franz Beckenbauer (Germany, Bayern Munich)
Time for another German on this list. Beckenbauer is the only defender to win these three awards. The legend won 20 trophies and scored 112 goals in 857 matches.
He won two Ballon d'Ors in 1972 and 1976. Gerd Muller and Beckenbauer lifted the Fifa World Cup in 1974 and three European Cups trophies in 1974, 1975, and 1976 together.
4) Paolo Rossi (Italy, Juventus)
Paolo Rossi died on the 9th of December 2020 at the age of 64. In his 14-year career, he won 8 trophies and scored 154 goals in 389 matches.
Rossi won the World Cup with Italy in 1982. He won the Golden Ball and Golden Boot in that tournament as well.
The same year he was awarded the Ballon d'Or. He won the European Cup in 1985 with Juventus.
5) Zinedine Zidane (France, Real Madrid)
The French legend won 15 trophies and scored 156 goals in 803 games. He played for big clubs like Juventus and Real Madrid.
The legendary midfielder won the Ballon d'Or in 1998 right after winning the 1998 Fifa World Cup with France. He won the Champions League with Real Madrid in 2002.
He is famous for his coaching as well. He won three straight Champions League with Los Blancos.
6) Rivaldo (Brazil, AC Milan)
Rivaldo is the first Brazilian to achieve this feat. He scored 412 goals in 887 career games and lifted 25 trophies.
He won the 1999 Ballon d'Or award and the 2002 Fifa World Cup. Rivaldo won the Champions League with AC Milan in 2003.
7) Ronaldinho (Brazil, Barcelona)
Ronaldinho was famous for his exciting style of play, dribbling, and creativity. The Brazilian and Barca legend won 15 trophies.
He won the World Cup in 2002. Then in 2005, he got the Ballon d'Or. And a year later he won the Champions League with Barcelona.
8) Kaka (Brazil, AC Milan)
Kaka is the last one to make it to the list. He won 11 trophies in his career, with 237 goals scored in 746 games.
He won the World cup in 2002. But he took time to win the other two awards. Five years later he won the Uefa Champions League in 2007 with AC Milan. And the next year Kaka won the Ballon d'Or by defeating Leonel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
