Conceived by sports writer Gabriel Hanot, the Ballon d'Or award originally honoured the male player deemed to have performed the best over the previous year, based on voting by football journalists, from 1956 to 2006.
After 2007, coaches and captains of national teams were also given the right to vote. Originally it was an award for players from Europe. In 1995 the Ballon d'Or was expanded to include all players from any origin that have been active at European clubs. The award became a global prize in 2007 with all professional footballers from around the world being eligible.
Following stellar campaign for Argentina at the Copa America in 2021, Lionel Messi scooped his record-breaking seventh career Ballon d'Or. The Argentine managed five goals and four assists in the Copa America, leading the country to glory.
In 2018 a Women's Ballon d'Or was introduced. It was first awarded to Ada Hegerberg of Norway becoming the inaugural recipient of the award. The 2021 Women's Ballon d'Or was awarded to FC Barcelona Captain Alexia Putellas who was remarkable as the Catalans won the Champions League.
Ballon d'Or All Winners List (1956 - 2021)
|
Year |
Player |
Nationality |
Club |
|
2021 |
Lionel Messi |
Argentina |
PSG |
|
2020 |
Not
Awarded |
|
|
|
2019 |
Lionel
Messi |
Argentina |
FC
Barcelona |
|
2018 |
Luka
Modric |
Croatia |
Real
Madrid |
|
2017 |
Cristiano
Ronaldo |
Portugal |
Real
Madrid |
|
2016 |
Cristiano
Ronaldo |
Portugal |
Real
Madrid |
|
2015 |
Lionel
Messi |
Argentina |
FC
Barcelona |
|
2014 |
Cristiano
Ronaldo |
Portugal |
Real
Madrid |
|
2013 |
Cristiano
Ronaldo |
Portugal |
Real
Madrid |
|
2012 |
Lionel
Messi |
Argentina |
FC
Barcelona |
|
2011 |
Lionel
Messi |
Argentina |
FC
Barcelona |
|
2010 |
Lionel
Messi |
Argentina |
FC
Barcelona |
|
2009 |
Lionel
Messi |
Argentina |
FC
Barcelona |
|
2008 |
Cristiano
Ronaldo |
Portugal |
Manchester
United |
|
2007 |
Ricardo
Kaka |
Brazil |
Milan |
|
2006 |
Fabio
Cannavaro |
Italy |
Real
Madrid |
|
2005 |
Ronaldinho |
Brazil |
FC
Barcelona |
|
2004 |
Andriy
Shevchenko |
Ukraine |
Milan |
|
2003 |
Pavel
Nedved |
Czech
Republic |
Juventus |
|
2002 |
Ronaldo |
Brazil |
Real
Madrid |
|
2001 |
Michael
Owen |
England
|
Liverpool |
|
2000 |
Luis
Figo |
Portugal |
Real
Madrid |
|
1999 |
Rivaldo |
Brazil |
FC
Barcelona |
|
1998 |
Zinedine
Zidane |
France |
Juventus |
|
1997 |
Ronaldo |
Brazil |
Internazionale |
|
1996 |
Matthias
Sommer |
Germany |
Borussia
Dortmund |
|
1995 |
George
Weah |
Liberia |
Milan |
|
1994 |
Hristo
Stoichkov |
Bulgaria |
FC
Barcelona |
|
1993 |
Roberto
Baggio |
Italy |
|
|
1992 |
Marco
van Basten |
Netherlands |
Milan |
|
1991 |
Jean-Pierre
Papin |
France |
Marseille |
|
1990 |
Lothar
Matthaus |
Germany |
Internazionale |
|
1989 |
Marco
van Basten |
Netherlands |
Milan |
|
1988 |
Marco
van Basten |
Netherlands |
Milan |
|
1987 |
Ruud
Gullit |
Netherlands |
Milan |
|
1986 |
Igor
Belanov |
Soviet
Union |
Dynamo
Kyiv |
|
1985 |
Michel
Platini |
France |
Juventus |
|
1984 |
Michel
Platini |
France |
Juventus |
|
1983 |
Michel
Platini |
France |
Juventus |
|
1982 |
Paolo
Rossi |
Italy |
Juventus |
|
1981 |
Karl-Heinz
Rumminigge |
West
Germany |
Bayern
Munich |
|
1980 |
Karl-Heinz
Rumminigge |
West
Germany |
Bayern
Munich |
|
1979 |
Kevin
Keagan |
England |
Hamburg |
|
1978 |
Kevin
Keagan |
England |
Hamburg |
|
1977 |
Allan
Simonsen |
Denmark |
Borussia
Monchengladbach |
|
1976 |
Franz
Beckenbauer |
West
Germany |
Bayern
Munich |
|
1975 |
Oleg
Blokhin |
Soviet
Union |
Dynamo
Kyiv |
|
1974 |
Johan
Cruyff |
Netherlands |
Ajax |
|
1973 |
Johan
Cruyff |
Netherlands |
Ajax |
|
1972 |
Franz
Beckenbauer |
West
Germany |
Bayern
Munich |
|
1971 |
Johan
Cruyff |
Netherlands
|
Ajax |
|
1970 |
Gerd
Muller |
West
Germany |
Bayern
Munich |
|
1969 |
Gianni
Rivera |
Italy |
Milan |
|
1968 |
George Best |
Northern
Ireland |
Manchester
United |
|
1967 |
Florian
Albert |
Hungary |
Ferencv
rosi TC |
|
1966 |
Bobby
Charlton |
England
|
Manchester
United |
|
1965 |
Eusebio
|
Portugal
|
Benfica |
|
1964 |
Dennis
Law |
Scotland |
Manchester
United |
|
1963 |
Lev
Yashin |
Soviet
Union |
Dynamo
Moscow |
|
1962 |
Josef
Masopust |
Czechoslovakia |
Dukla
Prague |
|
1961 |
Omar
Sivori |
Italy |
Juventus |
|
1960 |
Luis
Suarez |
Spain |
FC Barcelona |
|
1959 |
Alfredo
Di Stefano |
Spain
|
Real
Madrid |
|
1958 |
Raymond
Kopa |
France |
Real
Madrid |
|
1957 |
Alfredo
Di Stefano |
Spain |
Real
Madrid |
|
1956 |
Stanley
Matthews |
England |
Blackpool |