Only two Ballon d'Or winners have won the World Cup twice, one as a player and the other as both a player and a coach.
If we limit the scope to players, the only one to achieve this is Ronaldo. He won the World Cup twice, in the 1994 USA (as a substitute who did not play) and the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup (as the top scorer and scoring twice in the final), plus the Ballon d'Or in 1997 and 2002, a record that remains unmatched.
If coaching careers are also included in the statistics, the number increases to two. Beckenbauer won the Ballon d'Or twice, in 1972 and 1976. As captain, he led West Germany to victory on home soil in 1974, and as head coach, he led the team to another World Cup title in Italy in 1990.
This Sunday will be a pivotal moment for Messi. If Argentina defeats Spain, he will win his second World Cup title, following the 2022 Qatar World Cup. He will then become the third player after Ronaldo and Beckenbauer to win the Ballon d'Or twice.
