The Ballon d’Or, also known as the Golden Ball, is an annual award presented by France Football to the best football player of the year. From its inception in 1956 until 1994, it was limited to European players. Between 1995 and 2006, players of any nationality playing for European clubs became eligible. Since 2007, the award has been open to players from clubs worldwide.
Who can vote?
This doubt is not just in our minds but,also for the france football federation as first,it was open to football journalists only.Then in 2007 it was open to national team captains and coaches before reverting back to football journalist only in 2016.
Ousmane Dembele 2025 Winner
The defending champion for the Ballon D’or is none other than the french speedster, Ousmane Dembele.Truly deserving as he went on to win the UCL,Ligue 1,Coup de France,Uefa Super cup with the PSG superstar team
The numbers do not lie as well,Dembele contributing 35 goals across all competitions and 15 assists bringing up his goal involvement to a mere half century. The impact created when he was on the field was massive, one of the key players to contribute to PSG’s first UCL.
Men to win World Cup, Champions League and Ballon D’or titles
The 28-year-old is only the 10th man in history to win the coveted trouble of a FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Champions League and the prestigious Ballon d’Or title in their career, joining a pantheon of footballing greats, including Messi.
- Ousmane Dembélé
- Lionel Messi
- Ronaldinho
- Kaká
- Rivaldo
- Zinedine Zidane
- Bobby Charlton
- Paolo Rossi
- Gerd Muller
- Franz Beckenbauer
Ballon d’Or winners list from 1956 to 2025
| Year | Player (Nationality) | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Stanley Matthews (England) | Blackpool |
| 1957 | Alfredo Di Stefano (Argentina/Spain) | Real Madrid |
| 1958 | Raymond Kopa (France) | Real Madrid |
| 1959 | Alfredo Di Stefano (Argentina/Spain) | Real Madrid |
| 1960 | Luis Suárez (Spain) | Barcelona |
| 1961 | Omar Sivori (Italy) | Juventus |
| 1962 | Josef Masopust (Czechoslovakia) | Dukla Prague |
| 1963 | Lev Yashin (Soviet Union) | Dynamo Moscow |
| 1964 | Denis Law (England) | Manchester United |
| 1965 | Eusébio (Portugal) | Benfica |
| 1966 | Bobby Charlton (England) | Manchester United |
| 1967 | Flórián Albert (Hungary) | Ferencváros |
| 1968 | George Best (Northern Ireland) | Manchester United |
| 1969 | Gianni Rivera (Italy) | Milan |
| 1970 | Gerd Müller (West Germany) | Bayern Munich |
| 1971 | Johan Cruyff (Netherlands) | Ajax |
| 1972 | Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany) | Bayern Munich |
| 1973 | Johan Cruyff (Netherlands) | Barcelona |
| 1974 | Johan Cruyff (Netherlands) | Barcelona |
| 1975 | Oleg Blokhin (Soviet Union) | Dynamo Kyiv |
| 1976 | Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany) | Bayern Munich |
| 1977 | Allan Simonsen (Denmark) | Borussia Mönchengladbach |
| 1978 | Kevin Keegan (England) | Hamburger SV |
| 1979 | Kevin Keegan (England) | Hamburger SV |
| 1980 | Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (West Germany) | Bayern Munich |
| 1981 | Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (West Germany) | Bayern Munich |
| 1982 | Paolo Rossi (Italy) | Juventus |
| 1983 | Michel Platini (France) | Juventus |
| 1984 | Michel Platini (France) | Juventus |
| 1985 | Michel Platini (France) | Juventus |
| 1986 | Igor Belanov (Soviet Union) | Dynamo Kyiv |
| 1987 | Ruud Gullit (Netherlands) | Milan |
| 1988 | Marco van Basten (Netherlands) | Milan |
| 1989 | Marco van Basten (Netherlands) | Inter Milan |
| 1990 | Lothar Matthäus (Germany) | Inter Milan |
| 1991 | Jean-Pierre Papin (France) | Marselle |
| 1992 | Marco van Basten (Netherlands) | Inter Milan |
| 1993 | Roberto Baggio (Italy) | Juventus |
| 1994 | Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria) | Barcelona |
| 1995 | George Weah (Liberia) | Milan |
| 1996 | Matthias Sammer (Germany) | Borussia Dortmund |
| 1997 | Ronaldo (Brazil) | Inter Milan |
| 1998 | Zinedine Zidane (France) | Juventus |
| 1999 | Rivaldo (Brazil) | Barcelona |
| 2000 | Luís Figo (Portugal) | Real Madrid |
| 2001 | Michael Owen (England) | Liverpool |
| 2002 | Ronaldo (Brazil) | Real Madrid |
| 2003 | Pavel Nedvěd (Czechia) | Juventus |
| 2004 | Andriy Shevchenko (Ukraine) | Milan |
| 2005 | Ronaldinho (Brazil) | Barcelona |
| 2006 | Fabio Cannavaro (Italy) | Real Madrid |
| 2007 | Kaká (Brazil) | Milan |
| 2008 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) | Manchester United |
| 2009 | Lionel Messi (Argentina) | Barcelona |
| 2010 | Lionel Messi (Argentina) | Barcelona |
| 2011 | Lionel Messi (Argentina) | Barcelona |
| 2012 | Lionel Messi (Argentina) | Barcelona |
| 2013 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) | Real Madrid |
| 2014 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) | Real Madrid |
| 2015 | Lionel Messi (Argentina) | Barcelona |
| 2016 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) | Real Madrid |
| 2017 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) | Real Madrid |
| 2018 | Luka Modric (Croatia) | Real Madrid |
| 2019 | Lionel Messi (Argentina) | Barcelona |
| 2020 | Not awarded | — |
| 2021 | Lionel Messi (Argentina) | Paris-Saint Germain |
| 2022 | Karim Benzema (France) | Real Madrid |
| 2023 | Lionel Messi (Argentina) | Inter Miami |
| 2024 | Rodri (Spain) | Manchester City |
| 2025 | Ousmane Dembele (France) | Paris-Saint Germain |
Conclusion
Ousmane Dembele has put himself in the book of records.Records of being the best player. Everyone in the industry knew that he deserved it this season.On the contrary these were the same people saying he should retire due to his constant injuries and poor performance in Barcelona.
Written by: Hubaish
