Ballon d’Or Winners List: The Ballon d’Or is one of football’s most prestigious individual awards, recognising the outstanding players in the men’s and women’s games. First presented by France Football in 1956, the men’s award has honoured several legendary footballers, including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane, Johan Cruyff and Michel Platini. The 2026 ceremony will take place in London on Monday (Oct 26), marking the 70th anniversary of the awards. Ousmane Dembele won the men’s honour in 2025, while Aitana Bonmati claimed the women’s award for the third consecutive time. Here is the complete list of men’s Ballon d’Or winners from 1956 to 2025 and women’s Ballon d’Or Feminin winners from 2018 to 2025.
Ballon d’Or Winners List: Men’s Award From 1956 to 2025
The men’s Ballon d’Or has featured some of the greatest names in football history. Lionel Messi holds the record with eight wins, while Cristiano Ronaldo has won the award five times. Other multiple-time winners include Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten.
- 2025: Ousmane Dembele (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
- 2024: Rodri (Spain, Manchester City)
- 2023: Lionel Messi (Argentina, Inter Miami)
- 2022: Karim Benzema (France, Real Madrid)
- 2021: Lionel Messi (Argentina, Paris Saint-Germain)
- 2020: Not awarded
- 2019: Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona)
- 2018: Luka Modric (Croatia, Real Madrid)
- 2017: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Real Madrid)
- 2016: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Real Madrid)
- 2015: Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona)
- 2014: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Real Madrid)
- 2013: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Real Madrid)
- 2012: Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona)
- 2011: Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona)
- 2010: Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona)
- 2009: Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona)
- 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Manchester United)
- 2007: Kaka (Brazil, Milan)
- 2006: Fabio Cannavaro (Italy, Real Madrid)
- 2005: Ronaldinho (Brazil, Barcelona)
- 2004: Andriy Shevchenko (Ukraine, Milan)
- 2003: Pavel Nedvěd (Czech Republic, Juventus)
- 2002: Ronaldo (Brazil, Real Madrid)
- 2001: Michael Owen (England, Liverpool)
- 2000: Luís Figo (Portugal, Real Madrid)
- 1999: Rivaldo (Brazil, Barcelona)
- 1998: Zinedine Zidane (France, Juventus)
- 1997: Ronaldo (Brazil, International)
- 1996: Matthias Sammer (Germany, Borussia Dortmund)
- 1995: George Weah (Liberia, Milan)
- 1994: Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria, Barcelona)
- 1993: Roberto Baggio (Italy, Juventus)
- 1992: Marco van Basten (Netherlands, Milan)
- 1991: Jean-Pierre Papin (France, Marseille)
- 1990: Lothar Matthäus (Germany, Internazionale)
- 1989: Marco van Basten (Netherlands, Milan)
- 1988: Marco van Basten (Netherlands, Milan)
- 1987: Ruud Gullit (Netherlands, Milan)
- 1986: Igor Belanov (Soviet Union, Dynamo Kyiv)
- 1985: Michel Platini (France, Juventus)
- 1984: Michel Platini (France, Juventus)
- 1983: Michel Platini (France, Juventus)
- 1982: Paolo Rossi (Italy, Juventus)
- 1981: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (West Germany, Bayern Munich)
- 1980: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (West Germany, Bayern Munich)
- 1979: Kevin Keegan (England, Hamburg)
- 1978: Kevin Keegan (England, Hamburg)
- 1977: Allan Simonsen (Denmark, Borussia Mönchengladbach)
- 1976: Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany, Bayern Munich)
- 1975: Oleg Blokhin (Soviet Union, Dynamo Kyiv)
- 1974: Johan Cruyff (Netherlands, Barcelona)
- 1973: Johan Cruyff (Netherlands, Barcelona)
- 1972: Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany, Bayern Munich)
- 1971: Johan Cruyff (Netherlands, Ajax)
- 1970: Gerd Müller (West Germany, Bayern Munich)
- 1969: Gianni Rivera (Italy, Milan)
- 1968: George Best (Northern Ireland, Manchester United)
- 1967: Albert Flórián (Hungary, Ferencvárosi TC)
- 1966: Bobby Charlton (England, Manchester United)
- 1965: Eusébio (Portugal, Benfica)
- 1964: Denis Law (Scotland, Manchester United)
- 1963: Lev Yashin (Soviet Union, Dynamo Moscow)
- 1962: Josef Masopust (Czechoslovakia, Dukla Prague)
- 1961: Omar Sívori (Italy, Juventus)
- 1960: Luis Suárez (Spain, Barcelona)
- 1959: Alfredo Di Stéfano (Argentina / Spain, Real Madrid)
- 1958: Raymond Kopa (France, Real Madrid)
- 1957: Alfredo Di Stéfano (Argentina / Spain, Real Madrid)
- 1956: Stanley Matthews (England, Blackpool)
Ballon d’Or Feminin Winners List: 2018 to 2025
The women’s Ballon d’Or was introduced in 2018 to recognise the leading player in women’s football. Ada Hegerberg won the inaugural award, followed by Megan Rapinoe in 2019. The award was not presented in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Alexia Putellas won back-to-back awards in 2021 and 2022, before Aitana Bonmati claimed three consecutive titles from 2023 to 2025.
- 2025: Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona, Spain)
- 2024: Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona, Spain)
- 2023: Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona, Spain)
- 2022: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona, Spain)
- 2021: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona, Spain)
- 2020: Not awarded due to the COVID-19 pandemic
- 2019: Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign, United States)
- 2018: Ada Hegerberg (Lyon, Norway)
Who Has Won the Most Ballon d’Or Awards?
Lionel Messi leads the men’s Ballon d’Or record with eight victories, having won the award in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023. Cristiano Ronaldo follows with five wins, while Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff and Marco van Basten have each won the men’s award three times. In the women’s category, Aitana Bonmati has won three consecutive awards, in 2023, 2024 and 2025, while Alexia Putellas has claimed the honour twice.
Ballon d’Or 2026: When Will the Winner Be Announced?
The Ballon d’Or 2026 ceremony is scheduled for Monday (Oct 26) at the London Palladium in London. The winners of the men’s and women’s awards will be announced during the ceremony. The 2025 men’s winner was Ousmane Dembele, while Aitana Bonmati won the women’s award for the third consecutive year.
Aditya Pimpale is a sports journalist currently working with News X, with previous experience at WION, India TV and India Today. With a keen interest in cricket, football, Formula 1, tennis and other major sporting disciplines, he brings a versatile perspective to sports journalism. Aditya has extensive on-ground reporting experience, having covered multiple IPL seasons, including the 2025 and 2026 finals from the stadium. He also covered the 2026 T20 World Cup from the ground, including the final in Ahmedabad. His work focuses on breaking news, match reports, analysis, interviews, features, sports trends and engaging digital storytelling.
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