Argentine great Lionel Messi remains the outright leader as the most successful Ballon d'Or winner (8). Cristiano Ronaldo is second, with five awards.

The Ballon d'Or has been awarded since 1956, when it was created by France Football magazine. For six editions, from 2010 to 2015, the award was combined with FIFA to name the world's best player.

From 2016 onwards, France Football and FIFA resumed holding separate awards. The Ballon d'Or was not awarded in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Every Ballon d'Or winner

• 2026: Harry Kane (ENG)

• 2024: Rodri (ESP)

• 2023: Lionel Messi (ARG)

• 2022: Karim Benzema (FRA)

• 2021: Lionel Messi (ARG)

• 2020: No award

• 2019: Lionel Messi (ARG)

• 2018: Luka Modric (CRO)

• 2017: Cristiano Ronaldo (POR)

• 2016: Cristiano Ronaldo (POR)

• 2015: Lionel Messi (ARG)

• 2014: Cristiano Ronaldo (POR)

• 2013: Cristiano Ronaldo (POR)

• 2012: Lionel Messi (ARG)

• 2011: Lionel Messi (ARG)

• 2010: Lionel Messi (ARG)

• 2009: Lionel Messi (ARG)

• 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo (POR)

• 2007: Kaka (BRA)

• 2006: Fabio Cannavaro (ITA)

• 2005: Ronaldinho (BRA)

• 2004: Andriy Shevchenko (UKR)

• 2003: Pavel Nedved (CZE)

• 2002: Ronaldo (BRA)

• 2001: Michael Owen (ENG)

• 2000: Luis Figo (POR)

• 1999: Rivaldo (BRA)

• 1998: Zinedine Zidane (FRA)

• 1997: Ronaldo (BRA)

• 1996: Matthias Sammer (GER)

• 1995: George Weah (LBR)

• 1994: Hristo Stoichkov (BUL)

• 1993: Roberto Baggio (ITA)

• 1992: Marco van Basten (NED)

• 1991: Jean-Pierre Papin (FRA)

• 1990: Lothar Matthaus (GER)

• 1989: Marco van Basten (NED)

• 1988: Marco van Basten (NED)

• 1987: Ruud Gullit (NED)

• 1986: Igor Belanov (UKR)

• 1985: Michel Platini (FRA)

• 1984: Michel Platini (FRA)

• 1983: Michel Platini (FRA)

• 1982: Paolo Rossi (ITA)

• 1981: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (GER)

• 1980: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (GER)

• 1979: Kevin Keegan (ENG)

• 1978: Kevin Keegan (ENG)

• 1977: Allan Simonsen (DEN)

• 1976: Franz Beckenbauer (GER)

• 1975: Oleg Blokhin (UKR)

• 1974: Johan Cruyff (NED)

• 1973: Johan Cruyff (NED)

• 1972: Franz Beckenbauer (GER)

• 1971: Johan Cruyff (NED)

• 1970: Gerd Muller (GER)

• 1969: Gianni Rivera (ITA)

• 1968: George Best (NIR)

• 1967: Florian Albert (HUN)

• 1966: Bobby Charlton (ENG)

• 1965: Eusebio (POR)

• 1964: Denis Law (SCO)

• 1963: Lev Yashin (RUS) 

• 1962: Josef Masopust (CZE)

• 1961: Omar Sivori (ITA)

• 1960: Luis Suarez (ESP)

• 1959: Alfredo Di Stefano (ESP)

• 1958: Raymond Kopa (FRA)

• 1957: Alfredo Di Stefano (ESP)

• 1956: Stanley Matthews (ENG)