Ballon d'Or: List of all winners from Stanley Matthews to Ousmane Dembele

(Courtesy : Getty)
Lionel Messi is the only player to win the award in four successive years.
The best performer from the top five European leagues from the previous year receives the Ballon d’Or award each year. The first one was given out in 1956.
Lionel Messi of Inter Miami is the most recent winner in 2024. Cristiano Ronaldo has won the men’s Ballon d’Or award five times, while Lionel Messi holds the record of winning the trophy eight times in total.
The FIFA Player of the Year results, which were combined with the Ballon d’Or between 2009 and 2015 to produce the FIFA Ballon d’Or, are of great interest to many people.
A Ballon d’Or for women has been given out since 2018 under the name Ballon d’Or Féminin. Here is the full list of the men’s Ballon d’Or winners in history:
Men’s Ballon d’Or: List of all winners

- Ousmane Dembele – 2025
- Rodri – 2024
- Lionel Messi – 2023
- Karim Benzema – 2022
- Lionel Messi -2021
- Not awarded – 2020
- Lionel Messi – 2019
- Luka Modric – 2018
- Cristiano Ronaldo – 2017
- Cristiano Ronaldo – 2016
- Lionel Messi – 2015
- Cristiano Ronaldo – 2014
- Cristiano Ronaldo – 2013
- Lionel Messi – 2012
- Lionel Messi – 2011
- Lionel Messi – 2010
- Lionel Messi – 2009
- Cristiano Ronaldo – 2008
- Kaká – 2007
- Fabio Cannavaro – 2006
- Ronaldinho – 2005
- Andriy Shevchenko – 2004
- Pavel Nedvěd – 2003
- Ronaldo – 2002
- Michael Owen – 2001
- Luís Figo – 2000
- Rivaldo – 1999
- Zinedine Zidane – 1998
- Ronaldo – 1997
- Matthias Sammer – 1996
- George Weah – 1995
- Hristo Stoichkov – 1994
- Roberto Baggio – 1993
- Marco van Basten – 1992
- Jean-Pierre Papin – 1991
- Lothar Matthäus – 1990
- Marco van Basten – 1989
Also Read: Top 10 players with most Ballon d’Or awards
- Marco van Basten – 1988
- Ruud Gullit – 1987
- Igor Belanov – 1986
- Michel Platini – 1985
- Michel Platini – 1984
- Michel Platini – 1983
- Paolo Rossi – 1982
- Karl-Heinz Rummenigge – 1981
- Karl-Heinz Rummenigge – 1980
- Kevin Keegan – 1979
- Kevin Keegan – 1978
- Allan Simonsen – 1977
- Franz Beckenbauer – 1976
- Oleg Blokhin – 1975
- Johan Cruyff – 1974
- Johan Cruyff – 1973
- Franz Beckenbauer – 1972
- Johan Cruyff – 1971
- Gerd Müller – 1970
- Gianni Rivera – 1969
- George Best – 1968
- Flórián Albert – 1967
- Bobby Charlton – 1966
- Eusébio – 1965
- Denis Law – 1964
- Lev Yashin – 1963
- Josef Masopust – 1962
- Omar Sívori – 1961
- Luis Suárez – 1960
- Alfredo Di Stéfano – 1959
- Raymond Kopa – 1958
- Alfredo Di Stéfano – 1957
- Stanley Matthews – 1956
Who has won the most Ballon d’Ors?
Lionel Messi has won the most Ballon d’Ors with eight to his name.
Who is the current holder of the award?
Ousmane Dembele of PSG is the current holder of the award (2025).
When was the Ballon d’Or first awarded?
It was first awarded in 1956.
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- Ballon d'Or: List of all winners from Stanley Matthews to Ousmane Dembele