Winning the Ballon d’Or gong is not for the weak of heart; mastering one’s profession requires a whole year of dedication, with very few breaks allowed during that time. That’s why the greatest in football are awarded the sport’s most coveted award, isn’t it?
It is usually given to a player who scores a tonne of goals because there isn’t much space for interpretation. The largest reward of all is occasionally given to a midfielder, whereas defenders and goalkeepers are mostly ignored. Actually, it usually goes to a forward of some sort, and 47 players have won the prize the most times since it was first given out.
Furthermore, since Stanley Matthews was the first winner of the Ballon d’Or in 1956, there have been different levels of skill, even though no winner can be regarded as a poor football player for obvious reasons. Unfortunately, following the criteria listed below, these 47 awards are arranged from worst to best.
47-41
Winning the Ballon d’Or gong is not for the weak of heart; mastering one’s profession requires a whole year of dedication, with very few breaks allowed during that time. That’s why the greatest in football are awarded the sport’s most coveted award, isn’t it?
It is usually given to a player who scores a tonne of goals because there isn’t much space for interpretation. The largest reward of all is occasionally given to a midfielder, whereas defenders and goalkeepers are mostly ignored. Actually, it usually goes to a forward of some sort, and 47 players have won the prize the most times since it was first given out.
Zidane
Related: The Top 10 Players [Ranked] Most Likely to Win the Super Ballon d’Or
The prize may be given out again in 2029; it was last given out 36 years ago.
76
Furthermore, since Stanley Matthews was the first winner of the Ballon d’Or in 1956, there have been different levels of skill, even though no winner can be regarded as a poor football player for obvious reasons. Unfortunately, following the criteria listed below, these 47 awards are arranged from worst to best.
Every rating is determined by two factors: a) how good they were in the particular years they were awarded the Ballon d’Or, and b) how worthy they were of receiving the honour.
47–41
Matthias Sammer, a former Borussia Dortmund player, was by no means a bad player, but he was unable to captivate supporters in the same way that past champions did. The same is true of Igor Belanov, who won it in 1986 while playing for Dynamo Kyiv, a team that was less trendy. Although his hat-trick against Belgium at the 1986 World Cup was a memorable occasion, Gary Lineker had every reason to be upset about finishing in second place.
Given that one of the greatest players to never win the award, Thierry Henry, recorded a season with 42 goals and 26 assists, Pavel Nedved’s 2003 Ballon d’Or victory is somewhat contentious. Rather, Juventus’ deft Czech winger, who is currently ranked 44th, only behind Fabio Cannavaro, was crowned. In 47 games, he scored 14 goals and provided three assists.
The Italian’s victory is still up for debate because Cannavaro, who was born in Naples, is the only defender to win the Ballon d’Or since the year 2000. Michael Owen (somehow!) defeated Raul of Real Madrid to become the final Englishman to win the coveted award. However, it is debatable if the Englishman, who finished 2000–01 with 16 goals in 28 Premier League games, was deserving of the coveted trophy.
Andriy Shevchenko was undoubtedly a talented striker, but the Ukrainian is not on par with past Ballon d’Or winners. But with 24 goals that season, he was Serie A’s top scorer, and AC Milan won the Italian championship.
From worst to best, every Ballon d’Or winner is ranked 46–41.
Rank
The player
Winning the Ballon d’Or
47.
Sammer, Matthias
1996
46.
Belanov, Igor
1986
45.
Nedved Pavel
2003
44.
Cannavaro Fabio
2006
43.
Michael Owen
2001
42.
Simonsen, Allan
1977
41.
Shevchenko, Andriy
2004
40–31
As with other names, there was debate about whether Rodri should have defeated Los Blancos star Vinicius Jr. to win the 2024 championship. Although many questioned if the Spaniard’s particular achievements that year justified his victory, he was deemed to have had a more impressive year than the Brazilian.
Given the abundance of talent available at the time, George Weah, an ex-striker who is generally considered to be among the greatest African football players in history, and his 1995 victory were also hotly debated. Though opinions on Karim Benzema’s victory three years ago are still divided, we must not overlook his contribution to Real Madrid’s success and France’s Nations League victory in that year.
In ahead of him was Kevin Keegan, who played for Hamburg, a less prestigious team in Germany, and was named the world’s best player in 1978 and 1979. The Frenchman scored a lot of goals and most likely deserved the honour. Two footballing greats, Roberto Baggio and Rivaldo, are by no means undeserving winners; they come in 35th and 34th place, respectively. During that time, the latter won the Copa America with Brazil and La Liga with Barcelona.
While Luis Figo’s success in 2000—finishing ahead of the engimatic Zinedine Zidane (more on him later)—was the second most controversial event involving the Portuguese winger in 2000, Matthews, the oldest winner at 41, became the first of many world-beaters to be crowned the beautiful game’s leading superstar. A pig’s head was hurled in his way the year he traded in Camp Nou for Santiago Bernabeu. Paolo Rossi, the World Cup winner for Italy, completes this group of ten.
From worst to best, every Ballon d’Or winner is ranked 40–31.
Rank
The player
Winning the Ballon d’Or
40.
Rodri
2024
39.
Weah, George
1995
38.
Benzema Karim
2022
37.
Masoput, Josef
1962
36.
Keegan, Kevin
1978 and 1979
35.
Baggio, Roberto
1993
34.
Rivaldo
1999
33.
Matthews, Stanley
1956
32.
Figo Luis
2000
31.
Rossi Paolo
1982
30–21
The top 30 is kicked off by the most recent prize winner. The year he received the prize, Ousmane Dembele had an incredible season with Paris Saint-Germain, winning a Champions League and every domestic trophy imaginable. Their success in 2025 was mostly due to the Frenchman, but other players on this list just accomplished more in that year.
Kaka holds a unique place in football history as the 29th greatest Ballon d’Or winner of all time, having won the prize just before the Cristiano Ronaldo-Lionel Messi era. He is right behind Lev Yashin, the only successful goalie. The goalie is the only player in his position to have ever won the title of best football player, which is an accomplishment in and of itself.
Luka Modric disrupted Ronaldo and Messi’s supremacy in world football, which was crucial to Real Madrid’s Champions League triumph and Croatia’s run to the 2018 World Cup final. Even if he may not have as many goals and assists as other players, the midfielder’s impact from the middle of the park cannot be overlooked. One of the best Manchester United players of all time, Denis Law was a trailblazer in the 1960s and won the award for best player in 1964.
Ruud Gullit, the midfield general who won in 1987, is just behind him. The manager-turned-midfielder famously dedicated his prize to Nelson Mandela. Having each won it in the early 1990s, center-forwards Jean-Pierre Papin and Hristo Stoichkov are footballing legends in their own right. The category is completed by lesser-known celebrities Omari Sivori and Oleg Blokhin, who won the Ballon d’Or in 1961 and 1975, respectively.
From worst to best, every Ballon d’Or winner is ranked 30–21.
Rank
The player
Winning the Ballon d’Or
30.
Dembele Ousmane
2025
29.
Kaka
2007
28.
Yashin Lev
1963
27.
Modric Luka
2018
26.
Law, Denis
1964
25.
Gullit Ruud
1987
24.
Papin, Jean-Pierre
1991
23.
Stoichkov, Hristo
1994
22.
Sivori Omari
1961
21.
Blokhin Oleg
1975
20-11
It takes a year of intense commitment, with very few breaks permitted, to master one’s trade, thus winning the Ballon d’Or gong is not for the faint of heart. Isn’t it why the best football players receive the most coveted prize in the sport?
Due to the little room for interpretation, it is typically awarded to a player who scores a lot of goals. Sometimes a midfielder receives the biggest prize of all, while goalkeepers and defenders are often disregarded. Actually, since it was initially awarded, 47 players have received the trophy the most times, and it usually goes to a forward of some kind.
Zidane
Associated
The Top 10 Players [Ranked] Most Likely to Win the Super Ballon d’Or
The prize was last awarded 36 years ago, and it might be awarded again in 2029.
76
Furthermore, although no winner can be considered a bad football player for obvious reasons, there have been varying degrees of skill since Stanley Matthews was the first Ballon d’Or winner in 1956. Regretfully, these 47 prizes are ranked from worst to best based on the following criteria.
Each ranking is based on two criteria: a) their performance during the specific years they received the Ballon d’Or, and b) their deservingness of the accolade.
47–41
Former Borussia Dortmund player Matthias Sammer was by no means a poor player, but he was unable to enthral fans the way previous winners did. Igor Belanov, who won it in 1986 while playing for the less fashionable Dynamo Kyiv, is comparable. Even though his 1986 World Cup hat-trick against Belgium was an unforgettable moment, Gary Lineker had every reason to be disappointed with his second-place result.
Pavel Nedved’s 2003 Ballon d’Or win is a little controversial because Thierry Henry, one of the best players to never win the award, had a season with 42 goals and 26 assists. Instead, the winner was Juventus’ skilled Czech winger, who is currently ranked 44th, second only to Fabio Cannavaro. He recorded 14 goals and three helpers in 47 games.
Cannavaro, a native of Naples, is the only defender to win the Ballon d’Or since 2000, therefore the Italian’s win is still up for question. Michael Owen became the last Englishman to win the prized accolade after defeating Real Madrid’s Raul (somehow!). The Englishman concluded 2000–01 with 16 goals in 28 Premier League games, although it’s questionable if he deserved the coveted trophy.
Although Andriy Shevchenko was a gifted attacker, the Ukrainian is not as good as previous Ballon d’Or winners. However, AC Milan won the Italian championship that season, and he was the top scorer in Serie A with 24 goals.
Each winner of the Ballon d’Or is ranked 46–41 from worst to best.
Rank
The participant
Being awarded the Ballon d’Or
47.
Matthias Sammer
1996
46.
Igor Belanov
1986
45.
Pavel Nedved
2003
44.
Fabio Cannavaro
2006
43.
Michael Owen
2001
42.
Allan Simonsen
1977
41.
Shevchenko, Andriy
2004
40–31
As with other names, there was debate about whether Rodri should have defeated Los Blancos star Vinicius Jr. to win the 2024 championship. Although many questioned if the Spaniard’s particular achievements that year justified his victory, he was deemed to have had a more impressive year than the Brazilian.
Given the abundance of talent available at the time, George Weah, an ex-striker who is generally considered to be among the greatest African football players in history, and his 1995 victory were also hotly debated. Though opinions on Karim Benzema’s victory three years ago are still divided, we must not overlook his contribution to Real Madrid’s success and France’s Nations League victory in that year.
The greatest football strikers of all time, including Thierry Henry, Pele, and Ronaldo
Associated
Football’s 20 Greatest Strikers (Ranked)
This list of the greatest number nines in history includes Ronaldo, Pele, and Thierry Henry.
6.
In ahead of him was Kevin Keegan, who played for Hamburg, a less prestigious team in Germany, and was named the world’s best player in 1978 and 1979. The Frenchman scored a lot of goals and most likely deserved the honour. Two footballing greats, Roberto Baggio and Rivaldo, are by no means undeserving winners; they come in 35th and 34th place, respectively. During that time, the latter won the Copa America with Brazil and La Liga with Barcelona.
Matthews, the oldest winner at 41, became the first of many world-beaters to be crowned the leading superstar of the beautiful game, while Luis Figo’s success in 2000—finishing ahead of the engimatic Zinedine Zidane (more on him later)—was the second most contentious event involving the Portuguese winger. A pig’s head was hurled in his way the year he traded in Camp Nou for Santiago Bernabeu. Paolo Rossi, the World Cup winner for Italy, completes this group of ten.
From worst to best, every Ballon d’Or winner is ranked 40–31.
Rank
The player
Winning the Ballon d’Or
40.
Rodri
2024
39.
Weah, George
1995
38.
Benzema Karim
2022
37.
Masoput, Josef
1962
36.
Keegan, Kevin
1978 and 1979
35.
Baggio, Roberto
1993
34.
Rivaldo
1999
33.
Matthews, Stanley
1956
32.
Figo Luis
2000
31.
Rossi Paolo
1982
30–21
The top 30 is kicked off by the most recent prize winner. The year he received the prize, Ousmane Dembele had an incredible season with Paris Saint-Germain, winning a Champions League and every domestic trophy imaginable. Their success in 2025 was mostly due to the Frenchman, but other players on this list just accomplished more in that year.
Kaka holds a unique place in football history as the 29th greatest Ballon d’Or winner of all time, having won the prize just before the Cristiano Ronaldo-Lionel Messi era. He is right behind Lev Yashin, the only successful goalie. The goalie is the only player in his position to have ever won the title of best football player, which is an accomplishment in and of itself.
Luka Modric disrupted Ronaldo and Messi’s supremacy in world football, which was crucial to Real Madrid’s Champions League triumph and Croatia’s run to the 2018 World Cup final. Even if he may not have as many goals and assists as other players, the midfielder’s impact from the middle of the park cannot be overlooked. One of the best Manchester United players of all time, Denis Law was a trailblazer in the 1960s and won the award for best player in 1964.
GIVEMESPORT KEY FACTOR: In 2018, Luka Modric became the first player in history to win the Ballon d’Or, FIFA Best Men’s Player, UEFA Men’s Player, and World Cup Golden Ball all in one year.
Ruud Gullit, the midfield general who won in 1987, is just behind him. The manager-turned-midfielder famously dedicated his prize to Nelson Mandela. Having each won it in the early 1990s, center-forwards Jean-Pierre Papin and Hristo Stoichkov are footballing legends in their own right. The category is completed by lesser-known celebrities Omari Sivori and Oleg Blokhin, who won the Ballon d’Or in 1961 and 1975, respectively.
From worst to best, every Ballon d’Or winner is ranked 30–21.
Rank
The player
Winning the Ballon d’Or
30.
Dembele Ousmane
2025
29.
Kaka
2007
28.
Yashin Lev
1963
27.
Modric Luka
2018
26.
Law, Denis
1964
25.
Gullit Ruud
1987
24.
Papin, Jean-Pierre
1991
23.
Stoichkov, Hristo
1994
22.
Sivori Omari
1961
21.
Blokhin Oleg
1975
20-11
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge won Euro 1980 with Germany and was the Bundesliga’s top scorer in both of his Ballon d’Or years (1980 and 1981). His cause benefited from both home and international success. Since he resigned in 1995 at the age of 30, Marco van Basten’s career is cloaked in mystery; yet, his three Ballon d’Or victories are evidence of his goal-scoring prowess.
Then there is Ronaldinho, who is among the top players in football overall. The winger, who is placed 17th on this list of football stars, embodies all that is exciting about the game. His skill and composure were superior to the others. In 2005, he was awarded the finest football player and won both the Champions League and La Liga.
Superstar on and off the pitch, George Best was a deft winger who, at the height of his powers, wrought havoc across Europe, most notably in England. He is only surpassed by two of the game’s greatest players, Michel Platini and Eusebio. The 1990 winner, Lothar Matthaus, comes in at number 13. The German midfield general led West Germany to World Cup victory that year, but he was unable to claim the title of Serie A champion.
Zidane only won it once, which may surprise you, but he did so after playing a key role in France’s World Cup victory in 1998. The Old Trafford icon received the honour because Sir Bobby Charlton played a key role in Sir Alf Ramsey’s 1966 World Cup-winning campaign, which is the Three Lions’ sole World Cup victory to date.
From worst to best, every Ballon d’Or winner is ranked 20–11.
Rank
The player
Winning the Ballon d’Or
20.
Rummenigge, Karl-Heinze
1980 and 1981
19.
Albert Florian
1967
18.
Basten, Marco
1988, 1989, and 1992
17.
Ronaldo
2005
16.
George Best
1968
15.
Platini, Michel
1983, 1984, and 1985
14.
Eusebio
1965
13.
Matthaus Lothar
1990
12.
Zidane Zinedine
1998
11.
Charlon, Sir Bobby
1966
10-1
Both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
Winning the Ballon d’Or gong is not for the weak of heart; mastering one’s profession requires a whole year of dedication, with very few breaks allowed during that time. That’s why the greatest in football are awarded the sport’s most coveted award, isn’t it?
It is usually given to a player who scores a tonne of goals because there isn’t much space for interpretation. The largest reward of all is occasionally given to a midfielder, whereas defenders and goalkeepers are mostly ignored. Actually, it usually goes to a forward of some sort, and 47 players have won the prize the most times since it was first given out.
Zidane
Related: The Top 10 Players [Ranked] Most Likely to Win the Super Ballon d’Or
The prize may be given out again in 2029; it was last given out 36 years ago.
76
Furthermore, since Stanley Matthews was the first winner of the Ballon d’Or in 1956, there have been different levels of skill, even though no winner can be regarded as a poor football player for obvious reasons. Unfortunately, following the criteria listed below, these 47 awards are arranged from worst to best.
Every rating is determined by two factors: a) how good they were in the particular years they were awarded the Ballon d’Or, and b) how worthy they were of receiving the honour.
47–41
Matthias Sammer, a former Borussia Dortmund player, was by no means a bad player, but he was unable to captivate supporters in the same way that past champions did. The same is true of Igor Belanov, who won it in 1986 while playing for Dynamo Kyiv, a team that was less trendy. Although his hat-trick against Belgium at the 1986 World Cup was a memorable occasion, Gary Lineker had every reason to be upset about finishing in second place.
Given that one of the greatest players to never win the award, Thierry Henry, recorded a season with 42 goals and 26 assists, Pavel Nedved’s 2003 Ballon d’Or victory is somewhat contentious. Rather, Juventus’ deft Czech winger, who is currently ranked 44th, only behind Fabio Cannavaro, was crowned. In 47 games, he scored 14 goals and provided three assists.
The Italian’s victory is still up for debate because Cannavaro, who was born in Naples, is the only defender to win the Ballon d’Or since the year 2000. Michael Owen (somehow!) defeated Raul of Real Madrid to become the final Englishman to win the coveted award. However, it is debatable if the Englishman, who finished 2000–01 with 16 goals in 28 Premier League games, was deserving of the coveted trophy.
Andriy Shevchenko was undoubtedly a talented striker, but the Ukrainian is not on par with past Ballon d’Or winners. But with 24 goals that season, he was Serie A’s top scorer, and AC Milan won the Italian championship.
From worst to best, every Ballon d’Or winner is ranked 46–41.
Rank
The player
Winning the Ballon d’Or
47.
Sammer, Matthias
1996
46.
Belanov, Igor
1986
45.
Nedved Pavel
2003
44.
Cannavaro Fabio
2006
43.
Michael Owen
2001
42.
Simonsen, Allan
1977
41.
Shevchenko, Andriy
2004
40–31
As with other names, there was debate about whether Rodri should have defeated Los Blancos star Vinicius Jr. to win the 2024 championship. Although many questioned if the Spaniard’s particular achievements that year justified his victory, he was deemed to have had a more impressive year than the Brazilian.
Given the abundance of talent available at the time, George Weah, an ex-striker who is generally considered to be among the greatest African football players in history, and his 1995 victory were also hotly debated. Though opinions on Karim Benzema’s victory three years ago are still divided, we must not overlook his contribution to Real Madrid’s success and France’s Nations League victory in that year.
The greatest football strikers of all time, including Thierry Henry, Pele, and Ronaldo
Associated 20 Football’s Greatest Strikers (Ranked)
This list of the greatest number nines in history includes Ronaldo, Pele, and Thierry Henry.
6.
In ahead of him was Kevin Keegan, who played for Hamburg, a less prestigious team in Germany, and was named the world’s best player in 1978 and 1979. The Frenchman scored a lot of goals and most likely deserved the honour. Two footballing greats, Roberto Baggio and Rivaldo, are by no means undeserving winners; they come in 35th and 34th place, respectively. During that time, the latter won the Copa America with Brazil and La Liga with Barcelona.
While Luis Figo’s success in 2000—finishing ahead of the engimatic Zinedine Zidane (more on him later)—was the second most controversial event involving the Portuguese winger in 2000, Matthews, the oldest winner at 41, became the first of many world-beaters to be crowned the beautiful game’s leading superstar. A pig’s head was hurled in his way the year he traded in Camp Nou for Santiago Bernabeu. Paolo Rossi, the World Cup winner for Italy, completes this group of ten.
From worst to best, every Ballon d’Or winner is ranked 40–31.
Rank
The player
Winning the Ballon d’Or
40.
Rodri
2024
39.
Weah, George
1995
38.
Benzema Karim
2022
37.
Masoput, Josef
1962
36.
Keegan, Kevin
1978 and 1979
35.
Baggio, Roberto
1993
34.
Rivaldo
1999
33.
Matthews, Stanley
1956
32.
Figo Luis
2000
31.
Rossi Paolo
1982
30–21
The top 30 is kicked off by the most recent prize winner. The year he received the prize, Ousmane Dembele had an incredible season with Paris Saint-Germain, winning a Champions League and every domestic trophy imaginable. Their success in 2025 was mostly due to the Frenchman, but other players on this list just accomplished more in that year.
Kaka holds a unique place in football history as the 29th greatest Ballon d’Or winner of all time, having won the prize just before the Cristiano Ronaldo-Lionel Messi era. He is right behind Lev Yashin, the only successful goalie. The goalie is the only player in his position to have ever won the title of best football player, which is an accomplishment in and of itself.
Luka Modric disrupted Ronaldo and Messi’s supremacy in world football, which was crucial to Real Madrid’s Champions League triumph and Croatia’s run to the 2018 World Cup final. Even if he may not have as many goals and assists as other players, the midfielder’s impact from the middle of the park cannot be overlooked. One of the best Manchester United players of all time, Denis Law was a trailblazer in the 1960s and won the award for best player in 1964.
GIVEMESPORT KEY FACTOR: In 2018, Luka Modric became the first player in history to win the Ballon d’Or, FIFA Best Men’s Player, UEFA Men’s Player, and World Cup Golden Ball all in one year.
Ruud Gullit, the midfield general who won in 1987, is just behind him. The manager-turned-midfielder famously dedicated his prize to Nelson Mandela. Having each won it in the early 1990s, center-forwards Jean-Pierre Papin and Hristo Stoichkov are footballing legends in their own right. The category is completed by lesser-known celebrities Omari Sivori and Oleg Blokhin, who won the Ballon d’Or in 1961 and 1975, respectively.
From worst to best, every Ballon d’Or winner is ranked 30–21.
Rank
The player
Winning the Ballon d’Or
30.
Dembele Ousmane
2025
29.
Kaka
2007
28.
Yashin Lev
1963
27.
Modric Luka
2018
26.
Law, Denis
1964
25.
Gullit Ruud
1987
24.
Papin, Jean-Pierre
1991
23.
Stoichkov, Hristo
1994
22.
Sivori Omari
1961
21.
Blokhin Oleg
1975
20-11
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge won Euro 1980 with Germany and was the Bundesliga’s top scorer in both of his Ballon d’Or years (1980 and 1981). His cause benefited from both home and international success. Since he resigned in 1995 at the age of 30, Marco van Basten’s career is cloaked in mystery; yet, his three Ballon d’Or victories are evidence of his goal-scoring prowess.
Then there is Ronaldinho, who is among the top players in football overall. The winger, who is placed 17th on this list of football stars, embodies all that is exciting about the game. His skill and composure were superior to the others. In 2005, he was awarded the finest football player and won both the Champions League and La Liga.
The Top 10 Greatest Wingers in Football History [Ranked]: Ronaldinho, Neymar, and Ronaldo
Here are ten of the best wingers to ever play football, ranging from Lionel Messi to Neymar.
7.
Superstar on and off the pitch, George Best was a deft winger who, at the height of his powers, wrought havoc across Europe, most notably in England. He is only surpassed by two of the game’s greatest players, Michel Platini and Eusebio. The 1990 winner, Lothar Matthaus, comes in at number 13. The German midfield general led West Germany to World Cup victory that year, but he was unable to claim the title of Serie A champion.
Zidane only won it once, which may surprise you, but he did so after playing a key role in France’s World Cup victory in 1998. The Old Trafford icon received the honour because Sir Bobby Charlton played a key role in Sir Alf Ramsey’s 1966 World Cup-winning campaign, which is the Three Lions’ sole World Cup victory to date.
From worst to best, every Ballon d’Or winner is ranked 20–11.
Rank
The player
Winning the Ballon d’Or
20.
Rummenigge, Karl-Heinze
1980 and 1981
19.
Albert Florian
1967
18.
Basten, Marco
1988, 1989, and 1992
17.
Ronaldo
2005
16.
George Best
1968
15.
Platini, Michel
1983, 1984, and 1985
14.
Eusebio
1965
13.
Matthaus Lothar
1990
12.
Zidane Zinedine
1998
11.
Charlon, Sir Bobby
1966
10-1
Both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
Let’s go back in time and experience the greatest moments, beginning with Gianna Rivera and Raymond Kopa, who took home the award in 1969 and 1958, respectively. The Kopa Trophy was named in honour of the latter, a midfield general who was so outstanding. The winner in 1960 was Luis Suarez—no, not that Luis Suarez.
Royalty of Bayern Munich The genuine winner in 1970 was Gerd Muller, sometimes known as Der Bomber, who scored a tonne of goals for Bayern Munich. When the decision-makers were selecting the best players, the shooter’s Golden Boot-winning performance in the 1970 World Cup most likely aided his argument. This is also true of Alfredo Di Stefano, who is considered by many to be among the best strikers in football history.
Apart from their entire careers, Johan Cruyff and Franz Beckenbauer are worthy of their place in the top 10 because they have won the Ballon d’Or multiple times. In all honesty, both the former and the latter are among the most influential individuals to have ever played football. Despite his injuries, Ronaldo Nazario was a happy football player who carried a sense of inevitability. He also won it again, in 1997 and 2002.
The top two players in the rankings are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, whose dominance of the Ballon d’Or is not surprising considering their extraordinary talent. Having won the title eight times between 2009 and 2023, the latter easily takes the top spot. Let’s be honest, though, they are unmatched in terms of Ballon d’Or prestige. Superb football players.
From worst to best, every Ballon d’Or winner is ranked 10-1.
Rank
The player
Winning the Ballon d’Or
10.
Rivera Gianni
1969
9.
Kopa, Raymond
1958
8.
Suarez Luis
1960
7.
Muller, Gerd
1970
6.
Di Stefano Alfredo
1957 and 1959
5.
Beckenbauer, Franz
The years 1972 and 1976
4.
Cruyff, Johan
1971, 1973, and 1974
3.
Ronaldo Nazario
Between 1997 and 2002
2.
Ronaldo Cristiano
2013; 2014; 2016; and 2017
1.
Lionel Messi
2010; 2011; 2012; 2015; 2019; 2021; and 2023.
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