The Word Cup and Champions League are two of the most cherished trophies in football. The Ballon d'Or is a prestigious accolade given to the best footballer of the year. However, many top players have retired without winning any of the three titles, but only a few have won them all. So, which players have won the World Cup, the Champions League, and the Ballon d'Or trophies?

Winning the three titles is not a small feat. Some of the top players in the sport, like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, are yet to complete the hat trick of the trophies. They won the Champions League and Ballon d'Or multiple times but never lifted the World Cup.

World Cup, Champions League, and Ballon d'Or winners

Only eight players have won the three titles during their careers. They include three Brazilians, two Germans, one Italian, one Frenchman, and one Englishman. Most of these players also played for top European clubs.

8. Sir Bobby Charlton

The Former Manchester United midfielder is one of the first footballers to win the three titles. He won numerous titles with the Red Devils and the 1996 World Cup with England. Bobby Charlton is considered one of the greatest footballers in history.

• World Cup: 1966
• Ballon d'Or: 1966
• Champions League: 1968

7. Gerd Muller

Muller is one of the greatest goal-scorers in history. He won three UCL titles with Bayern Munich and a World Cup with Germany. The legendary striker scored over 500 goals in his career.

• World Cup: 1974
• Ballon d'Or: 1970
• Champions League: 1974, 1975, 1976

6. Franz Beckenbauer

Franz Beckenbauer starred for West Germany and Bayern Munich in the 1960s and 1970s. He is the only defender to win the World Cup, Ballon d'Or, and Champions League.

• Champions League: 1974, 1975, 1976 -
• World Cup: 1974
• Ballon d'Or: 1972, 1976

5. Paolo Rossi

Italy's Paulo Rossi won the World Cup and Ballon d'Or in 1982 before bagging the European Cup with Juventus three years later.

• World Cup: 1982
• Ballon d'Or: 1982
• Champions League: 1985 

4. Zinedine Zidane

Zidane is widely considered among the greatest midfielders ever to play football. His vision, passing, ball control, and leadership helped him win many titles and awards. He is a world champion with France and a Champions League winner with Real Madrid. However, he won the Ballon d'Or at Juventus before moving to Madrid.

• Champions League: 2002 -
• World Cup: 1998
• Ballon d'Or: 1998

3. Rivaldo

The legendary Brazilian striker also claimed all three major trophies. He spent most of his career with Barcelona but won the European title with AC Milan. Rivaldo was also one of the top stars who made Brazil world champions in 2003.

• World Cup: 2002 
• Ballon d'Or: 1999
• Champions League: 2003

2. Ronaldinho

Ronaldinho was a gifted and charismatic footballer who entertained fans with his dazzling dribbling skills. He is also among the few footballers who won all three major trophies. Dinho played for Paris-Saint Germain, Barcelona, and AC Milan in Europe.

• World Cup: 2002 
• Ballon d'Or: 2005
• Champions League: 2006

1. Kaka

Kaka is the latest footballer to win the three titles. He first became a world champion with Brazil in 2002 before winning the Champions League and Ballon d'Or with AC Milan.

• World Cup: 2002 
• Ballon d'Or: 2007
• Champions League: 2007

How many players have won the World Cup?

According to sources, 445 players have been honoured to lift the prestigious title with their national teams. Only eight countries have won the trophy.

Which footballer has won the World Cup the most?

Brazilian legend Pele is the only player to have won it three times (1958, 1962, 1970). Meanwhile, 20 others have bagged it twice in their careers, including Cafu, Ronaldo, Giuseppe Meazza, and Daniel Passarella. The remaining 424 players have won the tournament once.

Who has won the most Champions League trophies?

Former Real Madrid left-winger Paco Gento holds the record of winning the most UCL titles in history. Gento won six UCL trophies during his 18-year career with Real Madrid. Alfredo di Stefano, Paolo Maldini, and Cristiano Ronaldo are among the 18 players who won it five times as of November 2022.

Lionel Messi, Xavi Hernandez, and Samuel Eto'o are among 15 players who have won it four times, while 59 others have lifted it three times.

Which players have won the Champions League and the World Cup?

Only 60 players have won both titles in their careers, including the eight who also bagged the Ballon d'Or award. They include Roberto Carlos (Brazil, Real Madrid), Toni Kroos (Germany, Real Madrid), Alessandro del Piero (Italy, Juventus), Manuel Neuer (Germany, Bayern Munich), Xavi and Andres Iniesta, both with Spain and Barcelona.

Which players have won the World Cup and Champions League in the same year?

In the history of the two tournaments, only nine players have won them in the same year. They include Raphaël Varane, Roberto Carlos, and Franz Beckenbauer.

• 1974: Sepp Maier, Paul Breitner, Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck, Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Müller, Uli Hoeness (Bayern & West Germany) -
• 1998: Christian Karembeu (Real Madrid & France)
• 2002: Roberto Carlos (Real Madrid & Brazil)
• 2018: Raphaël Varane (Real Madrid & France)

Who has won the Champions League and the Ballon d'Or?

Over the years, most players who win the UCL have also bagged the golden ball. The latest player to get the award is Karim Benzema, who won the 2022 Champions League with Real Madrid. Since its inception, 65 players have been honoured with the Ballon d'Or, but around half of them won the European title too. They include: 

• Lionel Messi
• Cristiano Ronaldo
• Luka Modric
• Karim Benzema
• Alfredo Di Stefano
• Raymond Kopa
• George Best
• Gianni Rivera
• Johan Cruyff
• Michel Platini
• Ronaldinho
• Marco van Basten Kaká

Ballon d'Or winners who never won the Champions League

Legendary Brazilian striker, Ronaldo, is one of the surprising Ballon d'Or winners who failed to lift the UCL title in their career. Others include:

• Stanley Matthew -
• Lev Yashin
• Lothar Matthaus
• Roberto Baggio
• George Weah
• Michael Owen
• Pavel Nedved Fabio
• Cannavaro

Knowing which players have won the World Cup, the Champions League, and the Ballon d'Or, the absence of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is the most shocking. The two icons will probably be playing their last World Cup in 2022, Qatar, hoping to lift the coveted trophy.