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.
| 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) |
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