Ballon d’Or Winners by Year: Complete List from 1956 to 2025
“Every year tells a story. Every winner defines an era.”
THE MATCH JOURNAL
Ballon d’Or Winners by Year (2000–2025)
The modern Ballon d’Or winners by year era is defined by global superstars, particularly the dominance of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
| Year | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Ousmane Dembélé | PSG |
| 2024 | Rodri | Manchester City |
| 2023 | Lionel Messi | Inter Miami |
| 2022 | Karim Benzema | Real Madrid |
| 2021 | Lionel Messi | PSG |
| 2020 | Not Awarded | |
| 2019 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona |
| 2018 | Luka Modrić | Real Madrid |
| 2017 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid |
| 2016 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid |
| 2015 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona |
| 2014 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid |
| 2013 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid |
| 2012 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona |
| 2011 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona |
| 2010 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona |
| 2009 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona |
| 2008 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Manchester United |
| 2007 | Kaká | AC Milan |
| 2006 | Fabio Cannavaro | Real Madrid |
| 2005 | Ronaldinho | Barcelona |
| 2004 | Andriy Shevchenko | AC Milan |
| 2003 | Pavel Nedvěd | Juventus |
| 2002 | Ronaldo | Real Madrid |
| 2001 | Michael Owen | Liverpool |
| 2000 | Luís Figo | Real Madrid |
Ballon d’Or Winners by Year (1956–1999)
The early Ballon d’Or winners by year era was dominated by European players before the award expanded globally.
| Year | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Rivaldo | Barcelona |
| 1998 | Zinedine Zidane | Juventus |
| 1997 | Ronaldo | Inter Milan |
| 1996 | Matthias Sammer | Borussia Dortmund |
| 1995 | George Weah | AC Milan |
| 1994 | Hristo Stoichkov | Barcelona |
| 1993 | Roberto Baggio | Juventus |
| 1992 | Marco van Basten | AC Milan |
| 1991 | Jean-Pierre Papin | Marseille |
| 1990 | Lothar Matthäus | Inter Milan |
| 1989 | Marco van Basten | AC Milan |
| 1988 | Marco van Basten | AC Milan |
| 1987 | Ruud Gullit | AC Milan |
| 1986 | Igor Belanov | Dynamo Kyiv |
| 1985 | Michel Platini | Juventus |
| 1984 | Michel Platini | Juventus |
| 1983 | Michel Platini | Juventus |
| 1982 | Paolo Rossi | Juventus |
| 1981 | Karl-Heinz Rummenigge | Bayern Munich |
| 1980 | Karl-Heinz Rummenigge | Bayern Munich |
| 1979 | Kevin Keegan | Hamburg |
| 1978 | Kevin Keegan | Hamburg |
| 1977 | Allan Simonsen | Borussia Mönchengladbach |
| 1976 | Franz Beckenbauer | Bayern Munich |
| 1975 | Oleg Blokhin | Dynamo Kyiv |
| 1974 | Johan Cruyff | Barcelona |
| 1973 | Johan Cruyff | Barcelona |
| 1972 | Franz Beckenbauer | Bayern Munich |
| 1971 | Johan Cruyff | Ajax |
| 1970 | Gerd Müller | Bayern Munich |
| 1969 | Gianni Rivera | AC Milan |
| 1968 | George Best | Manchester United |
| 1967 | Flórián Albert | Ferencváros |
| 1966 | Bobby Charlton | Manchester United |
| 1965 | Eusébio | Benfica |
| 1964 | Denis Law | Manchester United |
| 1963 | Lev Yashin | Dynamo Moscow |
| 1962 | Josef Masopust | Dukla Prague |
| 1961 | Omar Sívori | Juventus |
| 1960 | Luis Suárez | Barcelona |
| 1959 | Alfredo Di Stéfano | Real Madrid |
| 1958 | Raymond Kopa | Real Madrid |
| 1957 | Alfredo Di Stéfano | Real Madrid |
| 1956 | Stanley Matthews | Blackpool |
What the Ballon d’Or Winners by Year Reveal
The Ballon d’Or winners by year list reflects the evolution of football across generations.
The 2009–2017 period stands out as the most dominant era, where Messi and Ronaldo claimed every award. Earlier decades showed more diversity, with legends like Cruyff, Platini, and Beckenbauer shaping different football philosophies.
Explore the full narrative through the Ballon d’Or winner list.
Frequently Asked Questions Ballon d’Or Winners by Year
Who has the most Ballon d’Or wins?Lionel Messi holds the record with eight titles.
Why was there no Ballon d’Or in 2020?The award was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Where can I read detailed stories?Visit the Ballon d’Or winner list.
Explore more about Ballon d’Or:
Messi Ballon d’Or Wins
Ronaldo Ballon d’Or Wins
Most Ballon d’Or Wins
Ballon d’Or winner list
