Ballon d'Or Award: List Of All Previous Winners From Stanley Matthews To Lionel Messi

The award, conceived by former French footballer and journalist Gabriel Hanot, was initially intended to recognize only European players at European clubs. It was later redefined to become a global accolade, with Liberian George Weah breaking barriers as the first non-European winner in 1995. Today, eligibility for the Ballon d’Or is open to players from every continent.

Brazilian star Ronaldo won the award in 1997, setting a new precedent as the first South American recipient. The shift toward inclusivity continued, and by 2007, players worldwide were fully eligible to contend for the honour.

FIFA and France Football previously merged the Ballon d'Or with the FIFA World Player of the Year award to create the FIFA Ballon d'Or from 2010 to 2015. FIFA then reverted to its own award, The Best FIFA Men's Player, in 2016.

In 2018, a historic addition marked a new chapter: the Ballon d’Or Feminin, honouring the top female footballer in the world. Norway's Ada Hegerberg became the first woman to receive this accolade after an outstanding season with Olympique Lyonnais.

Lionel Messi has set a staggering benchmark with eight Ballon d’Or wins, his latest triumph in 2023 adding to a list that began in 2009. Between them, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated the award for over a decade, clinching 13 titles combined since 2008.

However, 2024 brings a fresh narrative, as neither Messi nor Ronaldo is in contention, marking the first time since 2003 that both are absent from the shortlist.

The Ballon d’Or has only missed one presentation in its 68-year history. The award was paused in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Anticipation now builds for the 2024 ceremony, as a new era beckons. This year’s shortlist features an array of emerging talent and seasoned stars.

Let's take a look at all the previous winners of the Ballon d'Or award

The award is voted on by journalists from the top 100 countries in the FIFA rankings. Each journalist, one from each country, selects 10 players in ranked order and allocates points based on their positions. The player with the highest total points is declared the winner.