Ballon d'Or Winners List (1956–2025): Complete Winners History

The Ballon d'Or is one of the most prestigious individual awards in football. Presented annually by France Football, the award recognizes the best football player in the world based on performances during the year.

Ballon d'Or Winners List

• 1956 – Stanley Matthews
• 1957 – Alfredo Di Stéfano
• 1958 – Raymond Kopa
• 1959 – Alfredo Di Stéfano
• 1960 – Luis Suárez
• 1961 – Omar Sívori
• 1962 – Josef Masopust
• 1963 – Lev Yashin
• 1964 – Denis Law
• 1965 – Eusébio
• 1966 – Bobby Charlton
• 1967 – Flórián Albert
• 1968 – George Best
• 1969 – Gianni Rivera
• 1970 – Gerd Müller
• 1971 – Johan Cruyff
• 1972 – Franz Beckenbauer
• 1973 – Johan Cruyff
• 1974 – Johan Cruyff
• 1975 – Oleg Blokhin
• 1976 – Franz Beckenbauer
• 1977 – Allan Simonsen
• 1978 – Kevin Keegan
• 1979 – Kevin Keegan
• 1980 – Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
• 1981 – Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
• 1982 – Paolo Rossi
• 1983 – Michel Platini
• 1984 – Michel Platini
• 1985 – Michel Platini
• 1986 – Igor Belanov
• 1987 – Ruud Gullit
• 1988 – Marco van Basten
• 1989 – Marco van Basten
• 1990 – Lothar Matthäus
• 1991 – Jean-Pierre Papin
• 1992 – Marco van Basten
• 1993 – Roberto Baggio
• 1994 – Hristo Stoichkov
• 1995 – George Weah
• 1996 – Matthias Sammer
• 1997 – Ronaldo
• 1998 – Zinedine Zidane
• 1999 – Rivaldo
• 2000 – Luís Figo
• 2001 – Michael Owen
• 2002 – Ronaldo
• 2003 – Pavel Nedvěd
• 2004 – Andriy Shevchenko
• 2005 – Ronaldinho
• 2006 – Fabio Cannavaro
• 2007 – Kaká
• 2008 – Cristiano Ronaldo
• 2009 – Lionel Messi
• 2010 – Lionel Messi
• 2011 – Lionel Messi
• 2012 – Lionel Messi
• 2013 – Cristiano Ronaldo
• 2014 – Cristiano Ronaldo
• 2015 – Lionel Messi
• 2016 – Cristiano Ronaldo
• 2017 – Cristiano Ronaldo
• 2018 – Luka Modrić
• 2019 – Lionel Messi
• 2020 – Award Not Presented
• 2021 – Lionel Messi
• 2022 – Karim Benzema
• 2023 – Lionel Messi
• 2024 – Rodri
• 2025 – To Be Announced

Most Ballon d'Or Awards

1. Lionel Messi – 8
2. Cristiano Ronaldo – 5
3. Johan Cruyff – 3
4. Michel Platini – 3
5. Marco van Basten – 3

Interesting Facts

• Lionel Messi holds the record with 8 Ballon d'Or awards.
• Cristiano Ronaldo has won the award 5 times.
• Lev Yashin remains the only goalkeeper to win the Ballon d'Or.
• The 2020 award was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.