From Stanley Matthews to Lionel Messi: List of all Ballon d’Or winners till 2023

The highly anticipated Ballon d’Or awards ceremony takes place tonight at the Théâtre du Chatelet in Paris, with the most outstanding footballer of the 2022/23 season receiving football’s most prized accolade.

Lionel Messi has won the Ballon d’Or in 2023. He is the only player to have won the award four years in a row. Every year, the top performer from the top five European leagues is awarded the Ballon d’Or, an award that has been given since its inception in 1956. Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema won the title last year in 2022. Cristiano Ronaldo has five Ballon d’Or victories, while Lionel Messi now owns the unrivaled record with eight.

Also read | Ballon d’Or Awards 2023: Complete list of winners across all categories

The combined results of the FIFA Player of the Year and the Ballon d’Or from 2009 to 2015 continue to excite the interest of many football fans. Here is the complete list of all the Ballon d’Or winners till 2022.

Winners of the Men’s Ballon d’Or awards-

• Lionel Messi – 2023
• Karim Benzema – 2022
• Lionel Messi -2021
• not awarded – 2020
• Lionel Messi – 2019
• Luka Modric – 2018
• Cristiano Ronaldo – 2017
• Cristiano Ronaldo – 2016
• Lionel Messi – 2015
• Cristiano Ronaldo – 2014
• Cristiano Ronaldo – 2013
• Lionel Messi – 2012
• Lionel Messi – 2011
• Lionel Messi – 2010
• Lionel Messi – 2009

Also read | Ballon d’Or 2023: Vinicius Junior wins the Socrates Award for humanitarian work

• Cristiano Ronaldo – 2008
• Kaká – 2007
• Fabio Cannavaro – 2006
• Ronaldinho – 2005
• Andriy Shevchenko – 2004
• Pavel Nedvěd – 2003
• Ronaldo – 2002
• Michael Owen – 2001
• Luís Figo – 2000
• Rivaldo – 1999
• Zinedine Zidane – 1998
• Ronaldo – 1997
• Matthias Sammer – 1996
• George Weah – 1995
• Hristo Stoichkov – 1994
• Roberto Baggio – 1993
• Marco van Basten – 1992
• Jean-Pierre Papin – 1991
• Lothar Matthäus – 1990
• Marco van Basten – 1989
• Marco van Basten – 1988
• Ruud Gullit – 1987
• Igor Belanov – 1986
• Michel Platini – 1985
• Michel Platini – 1984
• Michel Platini – 1983
• Paolo Rossi – 1982

Also read | Who is Vinicius Junior, winner of 2023 Socrates Award?

• Karl-Heinz Rummenigge – 1981
• Karl-Heinz Rummenigge – 1980
• Kevin Keegan – 1979
• Kevin Keegan – 1978
• Allan Simonsen – 1977
• Franz Beckenbauer – 1976
• Oleg Blokhin – 1975
• Johan Cruyff – 1974
• Johan Cruyff – 1973
• Franz Beckenbauer – 1972
• Johan Cruyff – 1971
• Gerd Müller – 1970
• Gianni Rivera – 1969
• George Best – 1968
• Flórián Albert – 1967
• Bobby Charlton – 1966
• Eusébio – 1965
• Denis Law – 1964
• Lev Yashin – 1963
• Josef Masopust – 1962
• Omar Sívori – 1961
• Luis Suárez – 1960
• Alfredo Di Stéfano – 1959
• Raymond Kopa – 1958
• Alfredo Di Stéfano – 1957
• Stanley Matthews – 1956