Ballon d'Or

annual association football award

The Ballon d'Or is a special award given to a football player every single year. It has been given since 1956 by a French news magazine called France Football. From 2010 to 2015, it was combined with another award called FIFA World Player of the Year, and together they were known as the FIFA Ballon d'Or. However, in 2016, they separated again, and the award returned to its original name, the Ballon d'Or. FIFA also started giving its own separate award called The Best FIFA Men's Player.[2][3]

Ballon d'Or
Ballon d'Or trophy
Date1956; 68 years ago (1956)
CountryFrance
Presented byFrance Football
First awarded1956
Current holderArgentina Lionel Messi
(8th Award)
Most awardsArgentina Lionel Messi
(8 awards)
Most nominationsPortugal Cristiano Ronaldo
(18 nominations)[1]
Websitefrancefootball.fr

The Ballon d'Or was created by sports writers Gabriel Hanot and Jacques Ferran. It is given to the male player who is considered to have performed the best in the previous season. Football journalists used to do the voting for this award from 1956 to 2006.[4] At first, it was only given to players from Europe and was called the European Footballer of the Year award. But in 1995, it was expanded to include players from any part of the world who have played for European clubs.[5] After 2007, coaches and captains of national teams were also allowed to vote.[6] This made the award a global prize, and any professional football player from around the world became eligible to win it. In 2022, France Football changed some rules for the Ballon d'Or. They decided to give the award not for achievements in a calendar year but for a football season.[7] They also made it so that only countries in the top 100 of the FIFA World Ranking could vote for the award.[8] There is a different vote each year. It is for individual players to get recognised. Despite its popularity, critics have described the award as a "popularity contest", criticising its voting process and for systematically singling out an individual in a team sport.[9][10][11][12][13][14]

Winners

change
Key
      This indicates the Ballon d'Or winning player also won the FIFA World Player of the Year or

The Best FIFA Men's Player award in the same year (available in 1991–2009 and from 2016)

 
Cristiano Ronaldo has the most nominations and second most points total in Ballon d'Or history.[15]He is the second most winner of the award in history.
 
George Weah was the first non-European and first African national team player to win the award.
 
Lev Yashin is the only goalkeeper to win the award.
 
Franz Beckenbauer is the only defender to win the award twice.
Year Rank Player Team Points
Ballon d'Or (1956–2009)
1956 1st   Stanley Matthews   Blackpool 47
2nd   Alfredo Di Stéfano   Real Madrid 44
3rd   Raymond Kopa[note 1]   Real Madrid 33
1957 1st   Alfredo Di Stéfano[note 2]   Real Madrid 72
2nd   Billy Wright   Wolverhampton Wanderers 19
3rd   Duncan Edwards   Manchester United 16
  Raymond Kopa   Real Madrid
1958 1st   Raymond Kopa   Real Madrid 71
2nd   Helmut Rahn   Rot-Weiss Essen 40
3rd   Just Fontaine   Reims 23
1959 1st   Alfredo Di Stéfano   Real Madrid 80
2nd   Raymond Kopa[note 3]   Reims 42
3rd   John Charles   Juventus 24
1960 1st   Luis Suárez   Barcelona 54
2nd   Ferenc Puskás   Real Madrid 37
3rd   Uwe Seeler   Hamburger SV 33
1961 1st   Omar Sívori[note 4]   Juventus 46
2nd   Luis Suárez[note 5]   Inter Milan 40
3rd   Johnny Haynes   Fulham 22
1962 1st   Josef Masopust   Dukla Prague 65
2nd   Eusébio   Benfica 53
3rd   Karl-Heinz Schnellinger   1. FC Köln 33
1963 1st   Lev Yashin   Dynamo Moscow 73
2nd   Gianni Rivera   AC Milan 55
3rd   Jimmy Greaves   Tottenham Hotspur 50
1964 1st   Denis Law   Manchester United 61
2nd   Luis Suárez   Inter Milan 43
3rd   Amancio   Real Madrid 38
1965 1st   Eusébio   Benfica 67
2nd   Giacinto Facchetti   Inter Milan 59
3rd   Luis Suárez   Inter Milan 45
1966 1st   Bobby Charlton   Manchester United 81
2nd   Eusébio   Benfica 80
3rd   Franz Beckenbauer   Bayern Munich 59
1967 1st   Flórián Albert   Ferencváros 68
2nd   Bobby Charlton   Manchester United 40
3rd   Jimmy Johnstone   Celtic 39
1968 1st   George Best   Manchester United 61
2nd   Bobby Charlton   Manchester United 53
3rd   Dragan Džajić   Red Star Belgrade 46
1969 1st   Gianni Rivera   AC Milan 83
2nd   Gigi Riva   Cagliari 79
3rd   Gerd Müller   Bayern Munich 38
1970 1st   Gerd Müller   Bayern Munich 77
2nd   Bobby Moore   West Ham United 70
3rd   Gigi Riva   Cagliari 65
1971 1st   Johan Cruyff   Ajax 116
2nd   Sandro Mazzola   Inter Milan 57
3rd   George Best   Manchester United 56
1972 1st   Franz Beckenbauer   Bayern Munich 81
2nd   Gerd Müller   Bayern Munich 79
  Günter Netzer   Borussia Mönchengladbach
1973 1st   Johan Cruyff[note 6]   Barcelona 96
2nd   Dino Zoff   Juventus 47
3rd   Gerd Müller   Bayern Munich 44
1974 1st   Johan Cruyff   Barcelona 116
2nd   Franz Beckenbauer   Bayern Munich 105
3rd   Kazimierz Deyna   Legia Warsaw 35
1975 1st   Oleg Blokhin   Dynamo Kyiv 122
2nd   Franz Beckenbauer   Bayern Munich 42
3rd   Johan Cruyff   Barcelona 27
1976 1st   Franz Beckenbauer   Bayern Munich 91
2nd   Rob Rensenbrink   Anderlecht 75
3rd   Ivo Viktor   Dukla Prague 52
1977 1st   Allan Simonsen   Borussia Mönchengladbach 74
2nd   Kevin Keegan[note 7]   Hamburger SV 71
3rd   Michel Platini   Nancy 70
1978 1st   Kevin Keegan   Hamburger SV 87
2nd   Hans Krankl[note 8]   Barcelona 81
3rd   Rob Rensenbrink   Anderlecht 50
1979 1st   Kevin Keegan   Hamburger SV 118
2nd   Karl-Heinz Rummenigge   Bayern Munich 52
3rd   Ruud Krol   Ajax 41
1980 1st   Karl-Heinz Rummenigge   Bayern Munich 122
2nd   Bernd Schuster[note 9]   Barcelona 34
3rd   Michel Platini   Saint-Étienne 33
1981 1st   Karl-Heinz Rummenigge   Bayern Munich 106
2nd   Paul Breitner   Bayern Munich 64
3rd   Bernd Schuster   Barcelona 39
1982 1st   Paolo Rossi   Juventus 115
2nd   Alain Giresse   Girondins de Bordeaux 64
3rd   Zbigniew Boniek[note 10]   Juventus 39
1983 1st   Michel Platini   Juventus 110
2nd   Kenny Dalglish   Liverpool 26
3rd   Allan Simonsen[note 11]   Vejle BK 25
1984 1st   Michel Platini   Juventus 110
2nd   Jean Tigana   Girondins de Bordeaux 57
3rd   Preben Elkjær[note 12]   Hellas Verona 48
1985 1st   Michel Platini   Juventus 127
2nd   Preben Elkjær   Hellas Verona 71
3rd   Bernd Schuster   Barcelona 46
1986 1st   Igor Belanov   Dynamo Kyiv 84
2nd   Gary Lineker[note 13]   Barcelona 62
3rd   Emilio Butragueño   Real Madrid 59
1987 1st   Ruud Gullit[note 14]   AC Milan 106
2nd   Paulo Futre[note 15]   Atlético Madrid 91
3rd   Emilio Butragueño   Real Madrid 61
1988 1st   Marco van Basten   AC Milan 129
2nd   Ruud Gullit   AC Milan 88
3rd   Frank Rijkaard[note 16]   AC Milan 45
1989 1st   Marco van Basten   AC Milan 129
2nd   Franco Baresi   AC Milan 80
3rd   Frank Rijkaard   AC Milan 43
1990 1st   Lothar Matthäus   Inter Milan 137
2nd   Salvatore Schillaci   Juventus 84
3rd   Andreas Brehme   Inter Milan 68
1991 1st   Jean-Pierre Papin   Marseille 141
2nd   Dejan Savićević   Red Star Belgrade 42
  Darko Pančev   Red Star Belgrade
  Lothar Matthäus   Inter Milan
1992 1st   Marco van Basten     AC Milan 98
2nd   Hristo Stoichkov   Barcelona 80
3rd   Dennis Bergkamp   Ajax 53
1993 1st   Roberto Baggio     Juventus 142
2nd   Dennis Bergkamp[note 17]   Inter Milan 83
3rd   Eric Cantona   Manchester United 34
1994 1st   Hristo Stoichkov   Barcelona 210
2nd   Roberto Baggio   Juventus 136
3rd   Paolo Maldini   AC Milan 109
1995 1st   George Weah  [note 18]   AC Milan 144
2nd   Jürgen Klinsmann[note 19]   Bayern Munich 108
3rd   Jari Litmanen   Ajax 67
1996 1st   Matthias Sammer   Borussia Dortmund 144
2nd   Ronaldo[note 20]   Barcelona 143
3rd   Alan Shearer[note 21]   Newcastle United 107
1997 1st   Ronaldo  [note 22]   Inter Milan 222
2nd   Predrag Mijatović   Real Madrid 68
3rd   Zinedine Zidane   Juventus 63
1998 1st   Zinedine Zidane     Juventus 244
2nd   Davor Šuker   Real Madrid 68
3rd   Ronaldo   Inter Milan 66
1999 1st   Rivaldo     Barcelona 219
2nd   David Beckham   Manchester United 154
3rd   Andriy Shevchenko[note 23]   AC Milan 64
2000 1st   Luís Figo[note 24]   Real Madrid 197
2nd   Zinedine Zidane   Juventus 181
3rd   Andriy Shevchenko   AC Milan 85
2001 1st   Michael Owen   Liverpool 176
2nd   Raúl   Real Madrid 140
3rd   Oliver Kahn   Bayern Munich 114
2002 1st   Ronaldo  [note 25]   Real Madrid 169
2nd   Roberto Carlos   Real Madrid 145
3rd   Oliver Kahn   Bayern Munich 110
2003 1st   Pavel Nedvěd   Juventus 190
2nd   Thierry Henry   Arsenal 128
3rd   Paolo Maldini   AC Milan 123
2004 1st   Andriy Shevchenko   AC Milan 175
2nd   Deco[note 26]   Barcelona 139
3rd   Ronaldinho   Barcelona 133
2005 1st   Ronaldinho     Barcelona 225
2nd   Frank Lampard   Chelsea 148
3rd   Steven Gerrard   Liverpool 142
2006 1st   Fabio Cannavaro  [note 27]   Real Madrid 173
2nd   Gianluigi Buffon   Juventus 124
3rd   Thierry Henry   Arsenal 121
2007 1st   Kaká     AC Milan 444
2nd   Cristiano Ronaldo   Manchester United 277
3rd   Lionel Messi   Barcelona 255
2008 1st   Cristiano Ronaldo     Manchester United 446
2nd   Lionel Messi   Barcelona 281
3rd   Fernando Torres   Liverpool 179
2009 1st   Lionel Messi     Barcelona 473
2nd   Cristiano Ronaldo[note 28]   Real Madrid 233
3rd   Xavi   Barcelona 170
FIFA Ballon d'Or (2010–2015)
2010 1st   Lionel Messi   Barcelona 22.65%
2nd   Andrés Iniesta   Barcelona 17.36%
3rd   Xavi   Barcelona 16.48%
2011 1st   Lionel Messi   Barcelona 47.88%
2nd   Cristiano Ronaldo   Real Madrid 21.60%
3rd   Xavi   Barcelona 9.23%
2012 1st   Lionel Messi   Barcelona 41.60%
2nd   Cristiano Ronaldo   Real Madrid 23.68%
3rd   Andrés Iniesta   Barcelona 10.91%
2013 1st   Cristiano Ronaldo   Real Madrid 27.99%
2nd   Lionel Messi   Barcelona 24.72%
3rd   Franck Ribéry   Bayern Munich 23.36%
2014 1st   Cristiano Ronaldo   Real Madrid 37.66%
2nd   Lionel Messi   Barcelona 15.76%
3rd   Manuel Neuer   Bayern Munich 15.72%
2015 1st   Lionel Messi   Barcelona 41.33%
2nd   Cristiano Ronaldo   Real Madrid 27.76%
3rd   Neymar   Barcelona 7.86%
Ballon d'Or (2016–present)
2016 1st   Cristiano Ronaldo     Real Madrid 745
2nd   Lionel Messi   Barcelona 316
3rd   Antoine Griezmann   Atlético Madrid 198
2017 1st   Cristiano Ronaldo     Real Madrid 946
2nd   Lionel Messi   Barcelona 670
3rd   Neymar[note 29]   Paris Saint-Germain 361
2018 1st   Luka Modrić     Real Madrid 753
2nd   Cristiano Ronaldo[note 30]   Juventus 476
3rd   Antoine Griezmann   Atlético Madrid 414
2019 1st   Lionel Messi     Barcelona 686
2nd   Virgil van Dijk   Liverpool 679
3rd   Cristiano Ronaldo   Juventus 476
2020 Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic[16]
2021 1st   Lionel Messi[note 31]   Paris Saint-Germain 613
2nd   Robert Lewandowski   Bayern Munich 580
3rd   Jorginho   Chelsea 460
2022 1st  🇫🇷 Karim Benzema   Real Madrid 549
2nd   Sadio Mané   Liverpool 193
3rd   Kevin De Bruyne   Manchester City 175
2023 1st   Lionel Messi   Paris Saint-Germain 462
2nd Erling HaaLand Manchester City 357
3rd Kylian Mbappé   Paris Saint-Germain 270
  1. Kopa was signed by Real Madrid from Reims midway through 1956.
  2. Born in Argentina, Di Stéfano acquired Spanish citizenship in 1956 and went on to play for the Spanish national team.
  3. Kopa was signed by Reims from Real Madrid midway through 1959.
  4. Born in Argentina, Sívori acquired Italian citizenship in 1961 and went on to play for the Italy national team.
  5. Luis Suárez was signed by Internazionale from Barcelona midway through 1961.
  6. Cruyff was signed by Barcelona from Ajax midway through 1973.
  7. Keegan was signed by Hamburger SV from Liverpool midway through 1977.
  8. Krankl was signed by Barcelona from Rapid Wien midway through 1978.
  9. Schuster was signed by Barcelona from 1. FC Köln midway through 1980.
  10. Boniek was signed by Juventus from Widzew Łódź midway through 1982.
  11. Simonsen was signed by Vejle BK from Charlton Athletic midway through 1983.
  12. Elkjær was signed by Hellas Verona from Lokeren midway through 1984.
  13. Lineker was signed by Barcelona from Everton midway through 1986.
  14. Gullit was signed by AC Milan from PSV Eindhoven midway through 1987.
  15. Futre was signed by Atlético Madrid from Porto midway through 1987.
  16. Rijkaard was signed by AC Milan from Zaragoza midway through 1988.
  17. Bergkamp was signed by Internazionale from Ajax midway through 1993.
  18. Weah was signed by AC Milan from Paris Saint-Germain midway through 1995.
  19. Klinsmann was signed by Bayern Munich from Tottenham Hotspur midway through 1995.
  20. Ronaldo was signed by Barcelona from PSV Eindhoven midway through 1996.
  21. Shearer was signed by Newcastle United from Blackburn Rovers midway through 1996.
  22. Ronaldo was signed by Internazionale from Barcelona midway through 1997.
  23. Shevchenko was signed by AC Milan from Dynamo Kyiv midway through 1999.
  24. Figo was signed by Real Madrid from Barcelona midway through 2000.
  25. Ronaldo was signed by Real Madrid from Inter Milan midway through 2002.
  26. Deco was signed by Barcelona from Porto midway through 2004.
  27. Cannavaro was signed by Real Madrid from Juventus midway through 2006.
  28. Cristiano Ronaldo was signed by Real Madrid from Manchester United midway through 2009.
  29. Neymar was signed by Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona midway through 2017.
  30. Cristiano Ronaldo was signed by Juventus from Real Madrid midway through 2018.
  31. Messi was signed by Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona midway through 2021.

References

change
  1. "Ballon d'Or: Players who have received the most nominations". 90min. 15 November 2021. Archived from the original on 29 November 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
  2. Anderson, Christopher J.; Arrondel, Luc; Blais, André; Daoust, Jean-François; Laslier, Jean-François; Van Der Straeten, Karine (2020). "Messi, Ronaldo, and the Politics of Celebrity Elections: Voting for the Best Soccer Player in the World". Perspectives on Politics. 18: 91–110. doi:10.1017/S1537592719002391. S2CID 159085102.
  3. "Ballon d'Or, FIFA The Best awards: what's the difference between them?". Diario AS. 24 February 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023. Created by France Football in 1956, the Ballon d'Or is generally regarded as soccer's most prestigious award.
  4. Straeten, Karine van der; Laslier, Jean-François; Daoust, Jean-François; Blais, André; Arrondel, Luc; Anderson, Christopher J. (2020). "Messi, Ronaldo, and the Politics of Celebrity Elections: Voting for the Best Soccer Player in the World". Perspectives on Politics. 18: 91–110. doi:10.1017/S1537592719002391. ISSN 1537-5927.
  5. "Ballon d'Or scandal as player drops bombshell and claims his votes were changed to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo was lies".
  6. Straeten, Karine van der; Laslier, Jean-François; Daoust, Jean-François; Blais, André; Arrondel, Luc; Anderson, Christopher J. (2020). "Messi, Ronaldo, and the Politics of Celebrity Elections: Voting for the Best Soccer Player in the World". Perspectives on Politics. 18: 91–110. doi:10.1017/S1537592719002391. ISSN 1537-5927.
  7. "Ballon d'Or : Quatre changements pour l'histoire".
  8. "Ballon d'Or : Quatre changements pour l'histoire".
  9. "Ballon d'Or, FIFA The Best awards: what's the difference between them?". Diario AS. 24 February 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023. Created by France Football in 1956, the Ballon d'Or is generally regarded as soccer's most prestigious award.
  10. Why the Ballon d'Or is a waste of time
  11. Why the Ballon d’Or is stupid and quite possibly evil
  12. Weekly Why: FIFA's Ballon d'Or and the Absurdity of Glorifying Individual Awards
  13. The Ballon d'Or Is Stupid, But Mohamed Salah Deserves To Win It Anyway
  14. Los votos 'perdidos' del Balón de Oro
  15. rajarshi shukla (12 September 2022). "Players with the most Ballon d'Or votes in football history". Khel Now. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
  16. "THE BALLON D'OR® WILL NOT BE AWARDED IN 2020". L'Equipe. 20 July 2020. Archived from the original on 20 July 2020. Retrieved 20 July 2020.