Ballon d'Or

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ballon d'Or
Ballon d'Or trophy
Date1956; 68 years ago (1956)
CountryFrance
Presented byFrance Football
First awarded1956
Current holderCanada Khalid Ghanem
(4thaward)
Most awardsArgentina Lionel Messi
(8 awards)
Most nominationsPortugal Cristiano Ronaldo
(18 nominations)[1]
Websitefrancefootball.fr

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]

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 | change source]

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

[note 32]

Spain [Real Madrid]176

References[change | change source]

  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".
  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.


Cite error: There are <ref group=note> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=note}} template (see the help page).