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The Ballon d’Or is one of the most prestigious individual awards in football, recognizing the best male player each year. Discover the history of the award and the list of iconic players who have won this coveted honor.
Ballon d’Or. (X)
Spain midfielder Rodri became the latest addition to the elite list of Ballon d’Or winners with his triumph at the Chatelet Theatre in Paris on Tuesday in a gala affair that oozed class.
The holding midfielder proved to be the heartbeat of the Spanish side that claimed the Euro 2024 title and also served as a vital cog in Manchester City’s Premier League triumph.
Rodri edged Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham to the coveted piece of silverware that acknowledges the achievements of players in Europe.
The Ballon d’Or has served as one of the most prestigious awards in football ever since its inception all the way back in the year 1956.
The very first recipient of the glittery award was Sir Stanley Matthews, while Argentine genius Lionel Messi leads the record for most Ballon d’Or with his unprecedented eight titles, followed by long-term rival and Portuguese talisman Cristiano Ronaldo, who has managed to pick up the accolade five times.
ALSO READ| Ballon d’Or 2024 LIVE: Rodri Stands Tall At The Chatelet Theatre In Paris To Claim Award
Complete List of Ballon d’Or Winners:
1956- Stanley Matthews
1957- Alfredo Di Stefano
1958- Raymond Kopa
1959- Alfredo Di Stefano
1960- Luis Suarez
1961- Omar Sivori
1962- Josef Masopust
1963- Lev Yachine
1964- Dennis Law
1965- Eusebio
1966- Bobby Charlton
1967- Florian Albert
1968- Geroge Best
1969- Gianni Rivera
1970- Gerd Muller
1971- Johan Cruyff
1972- Franz Beckenbauer
1973- Johan Cruyff
1974- Johan Cruyff
1975- Oleg Blokhine
1976- Franz Beckenbauer
1977- Allan Simonsen
1978- Kevin Keegan
1979- Kevin Keegan
1980- Karl-Heinze Rummennigge
1981- Karl-Heinze Rummennigge
1982- Paolo Rossi
1983- Michel Platini
1984- Michel Platini
1985- Michel Platini
1986- Igor Belanov
1987- Ruud Gullit
1988- Marco Van Basten
1989- Marco Van Basten
1990- Lothar Matthaus
1991- Jean-Pierre Papin
1992- Marco Van Basten
1993- Roberto Baggio
1994- Hristov Stoitchkov
1995- George Weah
1996- Matthias Sammer
1997- Ronaldo
1998- Zinedine Zidane
1999- Rivaldo
2000- Luis Figo
2001- Michael Owen
2002- Ronaldo
2003- Pavl Nedved
2004- Andriy Shevshenko
2005- Ronaldinho
2006- Fabio Cannavaro
2007- Kaka
2008- Cristiano Ronaldo
2009- Lionel Messi
2010- Lionel Messi
2011- Lionel Messi
2012- Lionel Messi
2013- Cristiano Ronaldo
2014- Cristiano Ronaldo
2015- Lionel Messi
2016- Cristiano Ronaldo
2017- Cristiano Ronaldo
2018- Luka Modric
2019- Lionel Messi
2021- Lionel Messi
2022- Karim Benzema
2023- Lionel Messi
2024- Rodri
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