Ballon d'Or winners
2025 winner: Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain), ahead of Lamine Yamal and Vitinha.
- Most Ballon d'Or awards
- 8
- Lionel Messi
- Editions
- 69
- since 1956
- Different winners
- 47
- Most successful country
- 8
- Argentina and France
- Most successful club
- 12
- Barcelona and Real Madrid
Full list of winners and podiums
69 editions, from 1956 to 2025
| Year | WinnerPodium | 2nd place | 3rd place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | |||
| 2025 |  Ousmane Dembélé 2nd place:  Lamine Yamal 3rd place:  Vitinha | Lamine Yamal | Vitinha |
| 2024 | Rodri 2nd place:  Vinícius Júnior 3rd place:  Jude Bellingham | Vinícius Júnior | Jude Bellingham |
| 2023 |  Lionel Messi 2nd place:  Erling Haaland 3rd place: Kylian Mbappé | Erling Haaland | Kylian Mbappé |
| 2022 | Karim Benzema 2nd place:  Sadio Mané 3rd place:  Kevin De Bruyne | Sadio Mané | Kevin De Bruyne |
| 2021 | Lionel Messi 2nd place:  Robert Lewandowski 3rd place:  Jorginho | Robert Lewandowski | Jorginho |
| 2020 | Not awarded (COVID-19 pandemic) | ||
| 2010s | |||
| 2019 | Lionel Messi 2nd place:  Virgil van Dijk 3rd place: Cristiano Ronaldo | Virgil van Dijk | Cristiano Ronaldo |
| 2018 |  Luka Modrić 2nd place: Cristiano Ronaldo 3rd place: Antoine Griezmann | Cristiano Ronaldo | Antoine Griezmann |
| 2017 | Cristiano Ronaldo 2nd place: Lionel Messi 3rd place: Neymar | Lionel Messi | Neymar |
| 2016 | Cristiano Ronaldo 2nd place: Lionel Messi 3rd place: Antoine Griezmann | Lionel Messi | Antoine Griezmann |
| 2015 | Lionel Messi 2nd place: Cristiano Ronaldo 3rd place: Neymar | Cristiano Ronaldo | Neymar |
| 2014 | Cristiano Ronaldo 2nd place: Lionel Messi 3rd place:  Manuel Neuer | Lionel Messi | Manuel Neuer |
| 2013 | Cristiano Ronaldo 2nd place: Lionel Messi 3rd place: Franck Ribéry | Lionel Messi | Franck Ribéry |
| 2012 | Lionel Messi 2nd place: Cristiano Ronaldo 3rd place: Andrés Iniesta | Cristiano Ronaldo | Andrés Iniesta |
| 2011 | Lionel Messi 2nd place: Cristiano Ronaldo 3rd place: Xavi | Cristiano Ronaldo | Xavi |
| 2010 | Lionel Messi 2nd place: Andrés Iniesta 3rd place: Xavi | Andrés Iniesta | Xavi |
| 2000s | |||
| 2009 | Lionel Messi 2nd place: Cristiano Ronaldo 3rd place: Xavi | Cristiano Ronaldo | Xavi |
| 2008 | Cristiano Ronaldo 2nd place: Lionel Messi 3rd place: Fernando Torres | Lionel Messi | Fernando Torres |
| 2007 | Kaká 2nd place: Cristiano Ronaldo 3rd place: Lionel Messi | Cristiano Ronaldo | Lionel Messi |
| 2006 | Fabio Cannavaro 2nd place: Gianluigi Buffon 3rd place: Thierry Henry | Gianluigi Buffon | Thierry Henry |
| 2005 | Ronaldinho 2nd place: Frank Lampard 3rd place: Steven Gerrard | Frank Lampard | Steven Gerrard |
| 2004 |  Andriy Shevchenko 2nd place: Deco 3rd place: Ronaldinho | Deco | Ronaldinho |
| 2003 |  Pavel Nedvěd 2nd place: Thierry Henry 3rd place: Paolo Maldini | Thierry Henry | Paolo Maldini |
| 2002 | Ronaldo 2nd place: Roberto Carlos 3rd place: Oliver Kahn | Roberto Carlos | Oliver Kahn |
| 2001 | Michael Owen 2nd place: Raúl 3rd place: Oliver Kahn | Raúl | Oliver Kahn |
| 2000 | Luís Figo 2nd place: Zinedine Zidane 3rd place: Andriy Shevchenko | Zinedine Zidane | Andriy Shevchenko |
| 1990s | |||
| 1999 | Rivaldo 2nd place: David Beckham 3rd place: Andriy Shevchenko | David Beckham | Andriy Shevchenko |
| 1998 | Zinedine Zidane 2nd place: Davor Šuker 3rd place: Ronaldo | Davor Šuker | Ronaldo |
| 1997 | Ronaldo 2nd place: YUGPredrag Mijatović 3rd place: Zinedine Zidane | YUGPredrag Mijatović | Zinedine Zidane |
| 1996 | Matthias Sammer 2nd place: Ronaldo 3rd place: Alan Shearer | Ronaldo | Alan Shearer |
| 1995 |  George Weah 2nd place: Jürgen Klinsmann 3rd place:  Jari Litmanen | Jürgen Klinsmann | Jari Litmanen |
| 1994 |  Hristo Stoichkov 2nd place: Roberto Baggio 3rd place: Paolo Maldini | Roberto Baggio | Paolo Maldini |
| 1993 | Roberto Baggio 2nd place: Dennis Bergkamp 3rd place: Eric Cantona | Dennis Bergkamp | Eric Cantona |
| 1992 | Marco van Basten 2nd place: Hristo Stoichkov 3rd place: Dennis Bergkamp | Hristo Stoichkov | Dennis Bergkamp |
| 1991 | Jean-Pierre Papin 2nd place: YUGDejan Savićević YUGDarko Pančev Lothar Matthäus | YUGDejan Savićević YUGDarko Pančev Lothar Matthäus | |
| 1990 | Lothar Matthäus 2nd place: Salvatore Schillaci 3rd place: Andreas Brehme | Salvatore Schillaci | Andreas Brehme |
| 1980s | |||
| 1989 | Marco van Basten 2nd place: Franco Baresi 3rd place: Frank Rijkaard | Franco Baresi | Frank Rijkaard |
| 1988 | Marco van Basten 2nd place: Ruud Gullit 3rd place: Frank Rijkaard | Ruud Gullit | Frank Rijkaard |
| 1987 | Ruud Gullit 2nd place: Paulo Futre 3rd place: Emilio Butragueño | Paulo Futre | Emilio Butragueño |
| 1986 | URSIgor Belanov 2nd place: Gary Lineker 3rd place: Emilio Butragueño | Gary Lineker | Emilio Butragueño |
| 1985 | Michel Platini 2nd place:  Preben Elkjær 3rd place: Bernd Schuster | Preben Elkjær | Bernd Schuster |
| 1984 | Michel Platini 2nd place: Jean Tigana 3rd place: Preben Elkjær | Jean Tigana | Preben Elkjær |
| 1983 | Michel Platini 2nd place:  Kenny Dalglish 3rd place: Allan Simonsen | Kenny Dalglish | Allan Simonsen |
| 1982 | Paolo Rossi 2nd place: Alain Giresse 3rd place: Zbigniew Boniek | Alain Giresse | Zbigniew Boniek |
| 1981 | Karl-Heinz Rummenigge 2nd place: Paul Breitner 3rd place: Bernd Schuster | Paul Breitner | Bernd Schuster |
| 1980 | Karl-Heinz Rummenigge 2nd place: Bernd Schuster 3rd place: Michel Platini | Bernd Schuster | Michel Platini |
| 1970s | |||
| 1979 | Kevin Keegan 2nd place: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge 3rd place: Ruud Krol | Karl-Heinz Rummenigge | Ruud Krol |
| 1978 | Kevin Keegan 2nd place:  Hans Krankl 3rd place: Rob Rensenbrink | Hans Krankl | Rob Rensenbrink |
| 1977 | Allan Simonsen 2nd place: Kevin Keegan 3rd place: Michel Platini | Kevin Keegan | Michel Platini |
| 1976 | Franz Beckenbauer 2nd place: Rob Rensenbrink 3rd place: Ivo Viktor | Rob Rensenbrink | Ivo Viktor |
| 1975 | URSOleg Blokhin 2nd place: Franz Beckenbauer 3rd place: Johan Cruyff | Franz Beckenbauer | Johan Cruyff |
| 1974 | Johan Cruyff 2nd place: Franz Beckenbauer 3rd place: Kazimierz Deyna | Franz Beckenbauer | Kazimierz Deyna |
| 1973 | Johan Cruyff 2nd place: Dino Zoff 3rd place: Gerd Müller | Dino Zoff | Gerd Müller |
| 1972 | Franz Beckenbauer 2nd place: Gerd Müller Günter Netzer | Gerd Müller Günter Netzer | |
| 1971 | Johan Cruyff 2nd place: Sandro Mazzola 3rd place:  George Best | Sandro Mazzola | George Best |
| 1970 | Gerd Müller 2nd place: Bobby Moore 3rd place: Gigi Riva | Bobby Moore | Gigi Riva |
| 1960s | |||
| 1969 | Gianni Rivera 2nd place: Gigi Riva 3rd place: Gerd Müller | Gigi Riva | Gerd Müller |
| 1968 | George Best 2nd place: Bobby Charlton 3rd place: YUGDragan Džajić | Bobby Charlton | YUGDragan Džajić |
| 1967 |  Flórián Albert 2nd place: Bobby Charlton 3rd place: Jimmy Johnstone | Bobby Charlton | Jimmy Johnstone |
| 1966 | Bobby Charlton 2nd place: Eusébio 3rd place: Franz Beckenbauer | Eusébio | Franz Beckenbauer |
| 1965 | Eusébio 2nd place: Giacinto Facchetti 3rd place: Luis Suárez | Giacinto Facchetti | Luis Suárez |
| 1964 | Denis Law 2nd place: Luis Suárez 3rd place: Amancio | Luis Suárez | Amancio |
| 1963 | URSLev Yashin 2nd place: Gianni Rivera 3rd place: Jimmy Greaves | Gianni Rivera | Jimmy Greaves |
| 1962 | Josef Masopust 2nd place: Eusébio 3rd place: Karl-Heinz Schnellinger | Eusébio | Karl-Heinz Schnellinger |
| 1961 | Omar Sívori 2nd place: Luis Suárez 3rd place: Johnny Haynes | Luis Suárez | Johnny Haynes |
| 1960 | Luis Suárez 2nd place: Ferenc Puskás 3rd place: Uwe Seeler | Ferenc Puskás | Uwe Seeler |
| 1950s | |||
| 1959 | Alfredo Di Stéfano 2nd place: Raymond Kopa 3rd place:  John Charles | Raymond Kopa | John Charles |
| 1958 | Raymond Kopa 2nd place: Helmut Rahn 3rd place: Just Fontaine | Helmut Rahn | Just Fontaine |
| 1957 | Alfredo Di Stéfano 2nd place: Billy Wright 3rd place: Duncan Edwards Raymond Kopa | Billy Wright | Duncan Edwards Raymond Kopa |
| 1956 | Stanley Matthews 2nd place: Alfredo Di Stéfano 3rd place: Raymond Kopa | Alfredo Di Stéfano | Raymond Kopa |
Records and statistics
Most awards by player
Alfredo Di Stéfano2Franz Beckenbauer2Karl-Heinz Rummenigge2Kevin Keegan2Ronaldo2Most podium finishes
Franz Beckenbauer5Gerd Müller4Luis Suárez4Raymond Kopa4Ronaldo4Alfredo Di Stéfano3Andriy Shevchenko3Bernd Schuster3Bobby Charlton3Eusébio3Karl-Heinz Rummenigge3Kevin Keegan3Xavi3Awards by country
Argentina8France8Germany7Netherlands7Portugal7Brazil5England5Italy5Spain4URSSoviet Union3
Bulgaria1Croatia1Czech Republic1Czechoslovakia1Denmark1Hungary1Liberia1Northern Ireland1Scotland1Ukraine1Awards by club
Dynamo Kyiv2
Hamburger SV2
Country: the winner's national team (West Germany counted with Germany). Club: the winner's club at the time of the award.
History and rules
Created in 1956 by the French magazine France Football, at the initiative of journalist Gabriel Hanot, the Ballon d'Or is awarded every year to the best player in the world, as voted by a panel of journalists. Stanley Matthews was its first winner.
Until 1994, only European players were eligible, which is why neither Pelé nor Diego Maradona appears on the roll of honour. In 1995 the award was opened to players of any nationality at European clubs (George Weah won it straight away), then in 2007 to every player in the world.
From 2010 to 2015 it was merged with the FIFA World Player of the Year award as the FIFA Ballon d'Or, before becoming a separate award again in 2016. It was not awarded in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2022 it has rewarded the previous season (August to July) rather than the calendar year. A women's Ballon d'Or has been awarded since 2018.
Frequently asked questions
Ballon d'Or: who has won it the most times?
Lionel Messi holds the record with 8 awards (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023).
Who won the 2025 Ballon d'Or?
The 2025 Ballon d'Or was won by Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain), ahead of Lamine Yamal and Vitinha.
Ballon d'Or: which country has won the most?
Joint top of the table by country: Argentina and France, with 8 awards each.
Ballon d'Or: which club's players have won it most often?
Joint top of the table by club: Barcelona and Real Madrid, with 12 awards each.
Ballon d'Or: why was it not awarded in 2020?
France Football cancelled the 2020 edition because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which had halted competitions for several months. It is the only year without a Ballon d'Or since 1956.
Ballon d'Or: who was the first winner?
Stanley Matthews (Blackpool) won the first Ballon d'Or, in 1956.