The Ballon d’Or is an annual football award presented by France Football. It has been awarded since 1956, although it was merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year award from 2010 to 2015. The award is considered one of the most prestigious individual awards in football and is given to the best male football player in the world as voted on by a panel of international journalists. The panel bases their votes on the player’s performance and achievements during the calendar year. The award ceremony typically takes place in December, and the winner is presented with a golden ball trophy.
In 2016, the Ballon d’Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year award were split again, and the Ballon d’Or was once again awarded solely by France Football. Since 2018, the Ballon d’Or Féminin, which recognizes the best female football player in the world, is also awarded.
The most successful player in the history of the Ballon d’Or is Lionel Messi, who has won the award seven times, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo with five. Other players who have won the award multiple times include Michel Platini, Marco van Basten and Johan Cruyff.
Past Winners
1956: Stanley Matthews (Blackpool, England)
1957: Alfredo Di Stéfano (Real Madrid, Spain)
1958: Raymond Kopa (Real Madrid, France)
1959: Alfredo Di Stéfano (Real Madrid, Spain)
1960: Luis Suárez (Barcelona, Spain)
1961: Omar Sívori (Juventus, Argentina)
1962: Josef Masopust (Dukla Prague, Czechoslovakia)
1963: Lev Yashin (Dynamo Moscow, Soviet Union)
1964: Denis Law (Manchester United, Scotland)
1965: Eusébio (Benfica, Portugal)
1966: Bobby Charlton (Manchester United, England)
1967: Florian Albert (Ferencváros, Hungary)
1968: George Best (Manchester United, Northern Ireland)
1969: Gianni Rivera (AC Milan, Italy)
1970: Gerd Müller (Bayern Munich, West Germany)
1971: Johan Cruyff (Ajax, Netherlands)
1972: Franz Beckenbauer (Bayern Munich, West Germany)
1973: Johan Cruyff (Barcelona, Netherlands)
1974: Johann Cruyff (Barcelona, Netherlands)
1975: Oleg Blokhin (Dynamo Kiev, Soviet Union)
1976: Franz Beckenbauer (Bayern Munich, West Germany)
1977: Allan Simonsen (Borussia Mönchengladbach, Denmark)
1978: Kevin Keegan (Hamburger SV, England)
1979: Kevin Keegan (Hamburger SV, England)
1980: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (Bayern Munich, West Germany)
1981: Michel Platini (Juventus, France)
1982: Paolo Rossi (Juventus, Italy)
1983: Michel Platini (Juventus, France)
1984: Michel Platini (Juventus, France)
1985: Michel Platini (Juventus, France)
1986: Igor Belanov (Dynamo Kiev, Soviet Union)
1987: Ruud Gullit (AC Milan, Netherlands)
1988: Marco van Basten (AC Milan, Netherlands)
1989: Marco van Basten (AC Milan, Netherlands)
1990: Lothar Matthäus (Inter Milan, West Germany)
1991: Jean-Pierre Papin (Marseille, France)
1992: Marco van Basten (AC Milan, Netherlands)
1993: Roberto Baggio (Juventus, Italy)
1994: Hristo Stoichkov (Barcelona, Bulgaria)
1995: George Weah (AC Milan, Liberia)
1996: Matthias Sammer (Borussia Dortmund, Germany)
1997: Ronaldo (Inter Milan, Brazil)
1998: Zinedine Zidane (Juventus, France)
1999: Rivaldo (Barcelona, Brazil)
2000: Luis Figo (Real Madrid, Portugal)
2001: Michael Owen (Liverpool, England)
2002: Ronaldo (Real Madrid, Brazil)
2003: Pavel Nedvěd (Juventus, Czech Republic)
2004: Andriy Shevchenko (AC Milan, Ukraine)
2005: Ronaldinho (Barcelona, Brazil)
2006: Fabio Cannavaro (Juventus, Italy)
2007: Kaka (AC Milan, Brazil)
2008: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United, Portugal)
2009: Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Argentina)
2010: Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Argentina)
2011: Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Argentina)
2012: Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Argentina)
2013: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid, Portugal)
2014: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid, Portugal)
2015: Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Argentina)
2016: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid, Portugal)
2017: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid, Portugal)
2018: Luka Modric (Real Madrid, Croatia)
2019: Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Argentina)
2020: Not Awarded
2021: Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Argentina)
2022: Kazim Benzema (Real Madrid, France)
Most wins:
Lionel Messi – 7 Ballon d’Or awards
Cristiano Ronaldo – 5 Ballon d’Or awards
Michel Platini – 3 Ballon d’Or awards
Johan Cruyff – 3 Ballon d’Or awards