Ballon d’Or 2024/25: Winners, History, and Records

Ballon d’Or 2024/25: The Ballon d’Or, or “Golden Ball” in French, is an award presented by the French football magazine France Football to the best football player of the year, and it has been given since 1956.

It was created by sports writers Gabriel Hanot and Jacques Ferran and, until 2006, only football journalists voted for it. Originally, the award was only for European players and was called the European Footballer of the Year award.

In 1995, it was opened to players of any nationality playing in European clubs. By 2007, it became a global award, allowing all professional players to compete, and national team coaches and captains were also allowed to vote. However, since 2016, only journalists have voted again.

From 2010 to 2015, the Ballon d’Or merged with FIFA’s World Player of the Year award and was called the FIFA Ballon d’Or. After the partnership ended in 2016, the Ballon d’Or returned to being separate, and FIFA introduced The Best FIFA Men’s Player award.

In 2022, the rules changed so the award is now based on a football season, not a calendar year. A jury of journalists, one from each of the top 100 FIFA-ranked countries, now selects the winner. Since 2024, UEFA has helped organize the award ceremony, but France Football still handles the voting.

Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or a record eight times, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo with five. Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini, and Marco van Basten have won it three times. Players like Alfredo Di Stéfano, Franz Beckenbauer, and Ronaldo have won it twice. Rodri is the latest winner, receiving the award in 2024.

Ballon d’Or Winners

Ballon d’Or Wins by Player

Over the years, many legendary players have won this honor. Lionel Messi leads with 8 Ballon d’Or titles, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo with 5 wins. Other famous winners include Michel Platini, Johan Cruyff, and Marco van Basten, who each won three times. Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldinho, and Kaka have each won it once.

Ballon d’Or Wins by Country

The Ballon d’Or has been dominated by players from different countries, with some nations standing out as strong contenders. Argentina leads with 8 wins, all thanks to Lionel Messi, the most successful player in Ballon d’Or history. Portugal follows with 7 wins, 5 of which belong to Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the game’s greatest players. France has won 7 times, with stars Michel Platini, Zinedine Zidane, and more recently, Karim Benzema. Other countries the Netherlands and Brazil have also had their stars shine, with Johan Cruyff and Ronaldo Nazário winning multiple times. This shows the incredible talent from these nations that has shaped football over the years.

• Argentina: 1 player, 8 wins (Lionel Messi)
• France: 5 players, 7 wins
• Germany: 5 players, 7 wins
• Netherlands: 3 players, 7 wins
• Portugal: 3 players, 7 wins
• Italy: 5 players, 5 wins
• Brazil: 4 players, 5 wins
• England: 4 players, 5 wins
• Spain: 3 players, 4 wins
• Soviet Union: 3 players, 3 wins
• Bulgaria: 1 player, 1 win
• Croatia: 1 player, 1 win (Luka Modrić)
• Czech Republic: 1 player, 1 win
• Czechoslovakia: 1 player, 1 win
• Denmark: 1 player, 1 win
• Hungary: 1 player, 1 win
• Liberia: 1 player, 1 win (George Weah)
• Northern Ireland: 1 player, 1 win
• Scotland: 1 player, 1 win
• Ukraine: 1 player, 1 win (Andriy Shevchenko)

Ballon d’Or Wins by Club

When it comes to Ballon d’Or wins, some football clubs have had players who were standout performers. Real Madrid has the most wins, mostly thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo, who won the award 5 times while playing for the club. FC Barcelona is next, with Messi winning it 6 times. Other clubs AC Milan, Bayern Munich, and Juventus have also had Ballon d’Or winners, such as Kaka from AC Milan. These clubs have played a key role in the careers of some of the greatest football players, helping them achieve this prestigious award.