All Ballon d'Or winners (1956-2023)

All Ballon d’Or winners (1956-2023)

The Ballon d’Or, often referred to as the ‘Golden Ball,’ stands as one of the most prestigious honors in the world of football, celebrating the outstanding player of the season. Over the years, this illustrious award has been claimed by football legends such as Johan Cruyff, Eusébio, Gerd Müller, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, and Lionel Messi, each leaving an indelible mark on the sport’s history.

Lionel Messi Wins Eighth Ballon D’Or 2023

Messi, in particular, has etched his name into the record books by securing an unmatched eight Ballon d’Or titles, while Cristiano Ronaldo boasts the most nominations with an impressive 18 to his name. Established by the French news magazine France Football in 1956, the Ballon d’Or has been an annual tradition, with the exception of 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted its continuity. The inaugural recipient of this esteemed award was England’s Stanley Matthews. Notably, in 2018, the Ballon d’Or Féminin was introduced, with Ada Hegerberg of Norway becoming the first-ever recipient of this accolade, marking a significant moment in recognizing the accomplishments of female footballers.

Full list of Ballon d’Or winners below

Year	Winner
BALLON d’OR MEN
2023	Lionel Messi (Argentina)
2022	Karim Benzema (France)
2021	Lionel Messi (Argentina)
2020	Not awarded due to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic
2019	Lionel Messi (Argentina)
2018	Luka Modric (Croatia)
2017	Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2016	Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2015	Lionel Messi (Argentina)
2014	Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2013	Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2012	Lionel Messi (Argentina)
2011	Lionel Messi (Argentina)
2010	Lionel Messi (Argentina)
2009	Lionel Messi (Argentina)
2008	Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
2007	Kaká (Brazil)
2006	Fabio Cannavaro (Italy)
2005	Ronaldinho (Brazil)
2004	Andriy Shevchenko (Ukraine)
2003	Pavel Nedvěd (Czechia)
2002	Ronaldo (Brazil)
2001	Michael Owen (England)
2000	Luís Figo (Portugal)
1999	Rivaldo (Brazil)
1998	Zinedine Zidane (France)
1997	Ronaldo (Brazil)
1996	Matthias Sammer (Germany)
1995	George Weah (Liberia)
1994	Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria)
1993	Roberto Baggio (Italy)
1992	Marco van Basten (Netherlands)
1991	Jean-Pierre Papin (France)
1990	Lothar Matthäus (Germany)
1989	Marco van Basten (Netherlands)
1988	Marco van Basten (Netherlands)
1987	Ruud Gullit (Netherlands)
1986	Igor Belanov (Soviet Union)
1985	Michel Platini (France)
1984	Michel Platini (France)
1983	Michel Platini (France)
1982	Paolo Rossi (Italy)
1981	Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (West Germany)
1980	Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (West Germany)
1979	Kevin Keegan (England)
1978	Kevin Keegan (England)
1977	Allan Simonsen (Denmark)
1976	Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany)
1975	Oleg Blokhin (Soviet Union)
1974	Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)
1973	Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)
1972	Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany)
1971	Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)
1970	Gerd Müller (West Germany)
1969	Gianni Rivera (Italy)
1968	George Best (Northern Ireland)
1967	Flórián Albert (Hungary)
1966	Bobby Charlton (England)
1965	Eusébio (Portugal)
1964	Denis Law (Scotland)
1963	Lev Yashin (Soviet Union)
1962	Josef Masopust (Czechoslovakia)
1961	Omar Sívori (Italy)
1960	Luis Suárez (Spain)
1959	Alfredo Di Stéfano (Argentina)
1958	Raymond Kopa (France)
1957	Alfredo Di Stéfano (Argentina)
1956	Stanley Matthews (England)
BALLON d’OR WOMEN
2023 (Ballon d’Or Féminin)	Aitana Bonmati (Spain)
2022 (Ballon d’Or Féminin)	Alexia Putellas (Spain)
2021 (Ballon d’Or Féminin)	Alexia Putellas (Spain)
2020 (Ballon d’Or Féminin)	Not awarded due to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic
2019 (Ballon d’Or Féminin)	Megan Rapinoe (United States)
2018 (Ballon d’Or Féminin)	Ada Hegerberg (Norway)