Ballon d’Or History, Winners List and Records From 1956 to 2026

The Ballon d’Or is one of football’s most prestigious individual awards, recognising the players whose performances have stood out over a season. First presented in 1956, the award has honoured generations of footballers, from England’s Sir Stanley Matthews to Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and France’s Ousmane Dembélé.

Organised by France Football in partnership with UEFA since 2024, the award has evolved alongside the game. Its history reflects changes in football’s global reach, the growing influence of international competitions and the emergence of exceptional players across different eras.

Lionel Messi holds the record for the most men’s Ballon d’Or victories, with eight awards, while Cristiano Ronaldo has won five. The women’s Ballon d’Or was introduced in 2018, giving female players their own equivalent honour. Other awards presented at the annual ceremony recognise young players, goalkeepers, leading goalscorers, coaches and clubs.

The men’s award has also produced landmark moments for British football. Matthews won the inaugural trophy, Michael Owen became the most recent English winner before 2026, and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane was named the 2026 recipient, according to UEFA and Reuters.

This guide explains how the Ballon d’Or began, how its voting system works, who has won it and which records define its history.

What is the Ballon d’Or?

The Ballon d’Or, meaning “Golden Ball” in French, is an annual football award created by France Football magazine. It was established in 1956 to recognise the best-performing footballer in Europe, with English winger Stanley Matthews becoming its first winner.

Initially, eligibility was restricted to European players competing for European clubs. That changed in 1995, when players of any nationality playing for European clubs became eligible. In 2007, the award became global in scope, allowing footballers from anywhere in the world to compete regardless of their club’s location.

The award temporarily merged with FIFA’s World Player of the Year prize between 2010 and 2015, under the name FIFA Ballon d’Or. The partnership ended after the 2015 edition, and France Football resumed presenting its award independently.

UEFA and the Amaury Group, which owns France Football and L’Équipe, began co-organising the ceremony in 2024. The partnership brought UEFA’s football expertise into the event while leaving the award’s ownership and voting arrangements with the established organisers.

How is the Ballon d’Or winner decided?

The Ballon d’Or is decided by a panel of specialist football journalists. Under the current format, the men’s award is voted on by journalists representing the leading countries in the FIFA men’s world rankings, while a separate panel selects the women’s winner.

Voters assess individual performances, the player’s contribution to team success, sporting conduct and overall influence during the relevant season. The award therefore considers more than a player’s goals or assists.

A striker may build a strong case through goalscoring and decisive performances, while a midfielder or defender can be recognised for their influence on matches, consistency and contribution to successful campaigns. Goalkeepers also compete for the main award, although the ceremony has a separate Yashin Trophy for the best goalkeeper.

The voting system means that the Ballon d’Or is not a mathematical ranking based on a single statistic. Team trophies can strengthen a candidate’s case, but winning a league or Champions League title does not automatically determine the result.

The eligibility period has also changed. In recent years, the award has assessed performances across a football season rather than simply the calendar year. This allows voters to consider a player’s contribution throughout a more coherent competitive period.

Complete list of men’s Ballon d’Or winners from 1956 to 2026

The following list records the winner of each men’s award, including the year in which the trophy was presented. The 2020 award was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so there is no winner for that year.

Winners from 1956 to 1979

Winners from 1980 to 1999

Winners from 2000 to 2026

Sources: UEFA’s historical winners list and Reuters’ winners list, updated 26 October 2026.

The most successful players in Ballon d’Or history

Lionel Messi — eight wins

Lionel Messi

2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023

Messi holds the record for the most men’s Ballon d’Or victories. His awards span his dominant years at Barcelona, his later career at Paris Saint-Germain and his achievements with Argentina, including winning the 2022 World Cup.

Cristiano Ronaldo — five wins

Cristiano Ronaldo

2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017

Ronaldo won his first award with Manchester United before claiming four more during his Real Madrid years. His rivalry with Messi defined much of the award’s modern history.

Three-time winners

Michel Platini

1983, 1984 and 1985

The French midfielder won three consecutive awards during a period of success with Juventus and the France national team.

Johan Cruyff

1971, 1973 and 1974

The Dutch forward became a defining figure in attacking football and won the award during his influential playing years at Ajax and Barcelona.

Marco van Basten

1988, 1989 and 1992

The Netherlands striker received three awards despite a career curtailed by persistent ankle problems.

Other players with multiple victories include Alfredo Di Stéfano, Franz Beckenbauer, Kevin Keegan, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Ronaldo Nazário, each of whom won twice.

Ballon d’Or Féminin winners list from 2018 to 2026

The women’s Ballon d’Or was introduced in 2018 to recognise the best-performing female footballer. Its introduction expanded the award’s scope and gave women’s football a dedicated place in the ceremony.

Bonmatí became the first player to win the women’s award three consecutive times, taking the trophy in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Putellas’s reported 2026 victory returned the award to the Barcelona midfielder after her previous wins in 2021 and 2022.

Why the Ballon d’Or matters in football

The Ballon d’Or has become an important reference point for assessing individual excellence in football. Its winners represent different positions, nationalities, leagues and playing styles, illustrating how the game has changed since the 1950s.

The award also provides a record of football’s changing geography. Early winners largely came from European football, reflecting the original eligibility rules. Later changes opened the competition to players from across the world, including Liberia’s George Weah, Brazil’s Ronaldo Nazário and Argentina’s Messi.

However, the trophy is not a definitive measure of a player’s entire career. Many exceptional footballers have never won it, while the voting process reflects opinions about performances during a particular assessment period. A player can be outstanding for years without receiving enough votes in a given season.

That distinction matters when comparing players from different eras. Modern footballers benefit from extensive television coverage, global audiences and detailed performance statistics that were not available to earlier generations. The award’s eligibility rules and voting arrangements have also changed over time.

The Ballon d’Or is therefore best understood as a major individual honour rather than a complete ranking of every player in football history.

British players who have won the Ballon d’Or

England and the wider British footballing nations have produced several winners, although the trophy has not always followed the success of British clubs.

Sir Stanley Matthews became the first winner in 1956 while playing for Blackpool. Sir Bobby Charlton followed in 1966, the year England won the World Cup. Northern Ireland’s George Best won in 1968, while Scotland’s Denis Law received the award in 1964.

Kevin Keegan won in consecutive years, 1978 and 1979, while Michael Owen became the most recent English winner before 2026 when he received the award in 2001.

Harry Kane’s reported victory in 2026 adds another English name to that history. His success is particularly notable because the award came while he was playing for Bayern Munich in Germany rather than an English club.

What to know about the Ballon d’Or

The Ballon d’Or began as a European award but has developed into a global recognition of footballing achievement. Messi remains the men’s record holder with eight victories, followed by Ronaldo with five, while the women’s award has recognised leading players since 2018.

Its history includes celebrated winners, changes in eligibility and a voting process that continues to generate discussion among supporters. The annual ceremony also recognises achievements beyond the main trophy through specialist awards for goalkeepers, young players, leading goalscorers and coaches.

The winners list provides a useful historical record, but each result must be understood in the context of the football season, the eligibility rules and the competition faced by the nominees.

Faqs

1. What is the Ballon d’Or?

The Ballon d’Or is an annual football award presented by France Football in partnership with UEFA since 2024. It recognises outstanding individual performances in men’s and women’s football.

2. Who has won the most Ballon d’Or awards?

Lionel Messi holds the record for the most men’s Ballon d’Or victories, with eight awards. He won in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023.

3. How many Ballon d’Or awards has Cristiano Ronaldo won?

Cristiano Ronaldo has won the men’s Ballon d’Or five times, in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017.

4. Who won the first Ballon d’Or?

Sir Stanley Matthews won the inaugural Ballon d’Or in 1956 while playing for Blackpool. He was the first recipient of the award, which was created by France Football magazine.

5. Who won the Ballon d’Or in 2026?

According to the 2026 results referenced in this article, Harry Kane won the men’s Ballon d’Or, while Alexia Putellas won the women’s award.

6. Who was the first English player to win the Ballon d’Or?

Sir Stanley Matthews became the first English winner in 1956. Other English winners include Sir Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan, Michael Owen and, according to the reported 2026 result, Harry Kane.

7. Has any player won the Ballon d’Or in consecutive years?

Yes. Lionel Messi won four consecutive awards from 2009 to 2012. Michel Platini also won three consecutive awards between 1983 and 1985, while Cristiano Ronaldo won in 2016 and 2017.

8. When was the women’s Ballon d’Or introduced?

The women’s Ballon d’Or was introduced in 2018. Norway’s Ada Hegerberg became the first winner, followed by Megan Rapinoe in 2019.

9. Why was the Ballon d’Or cancelled in 2020?

The 2020 Ballon d’Or was cancelled because of the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Organisers concluded that the season’s unusual circumstances made it inappropriate to award the trophy that year.

10. Who votes for the Ballon d’Or?

The award is decided by specialist football journalists under rules established by the organisers. Voters consider individual performances, team achievements, sporting conduct and a player’s overall contribution during the assessment period.

11. Is the Ballon d’Or the same as FIFA The Best?

No. The Ballon d’Or is organised by France Football in partnership with UEFA, whereas FIFA The Best is an award presented by world football’s governing body, FIFA. They have separate voting systems and winners.

12. Which goalkeeper has won the Ballon d’Or?

Lev Yashin, the Soviet Union goalkeeper, won the men’s Ballon d’Or in 1963. He remains the only goalkeeper to have received the main men’s award.