Ballon d'Or facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ballon d'Or |
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The Ballon d'Or trophy is shaped like a golden football.
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| Presented by | France Football | |||
| First awarded | 18 December 1956 | |||
| Currently held by |  Rodri(1st win) |
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The Ballon d'Or, which is French for "Golden Ball", is a famous football award given out every year. The French magazine France Football has presented this award since 1956. It honours the male player who is thought to have been the best in the world during the previous football season.
The idea for the award came from sports writers Gabriel Hanot and Jacques Ferran. For a long time, only football journalists voted for the winner. At first, the award was only for European players, so it was often called the European Footballer of the Year award.
Over the years, the rules changed. In 1995, players from any country who played for European clubs could win. In 2007, it became a global award, open to all professional footballers worldwide. For a while, national team coaches and captains could also vote.
From 2010 to 2015, the Ballon d'Or joined with FIFA's award to become the FIFA Ballon d'Or. After 2016, they became separate awards again. Since 2022, the award has been based on a player's performance during a football season, not a calendar year. UEFA now helps organize the award ceremony, but France Football still controls the voting.
Lionel Messi holds the record for the most wins, with eight Ballon d'Or trophies. Cristiano Ronaldo is next with five. The current winner is Rodri, who won the award in 2024.
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What is the Ballon d'Or?
The Ballon d'Or is considered one of the most important individual awards a football player can win. The very first winner was Stanley Matthews of England in 1956.
For many years, only European players could win. That changed in 1995, when George Weah from Liberia became the first non-European and only African player to win. Two years later, Ronaldo from Brazil became the first South American to win. He is still the youngest winner ever, at just 21 years old.
The award is usually won by attacking players, like strikers and midfielders. It is very rare for a defender or goalkeeper to win. Over the years, most winners have come from a small number of top European leagues, especially Spain's La Liga. The clubs with the most winners are Barcelona and Real Madrid.
In 2020, the award was not given out because the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted football seasons around the world. Many people believe that Robert Lewandowski would have won that year.
How is the Winner Chosen?
Journalists from the top 100 countries in the FIFA Men's World Ranking vote for the winner. They look at three main things:
- Individual skill and how decisive the player was in big games.
- The player's success with their team, including trophies they won.
- The player's sportsmanship and fair play.
Famous Winners
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Many of football's greatest legends have won the Ballon d'Or. While Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated the award in recent times, other players have also left their mark.
- Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini, and Marco van Basten each won the award three times. Cruyff was a star for the Netherlands, while Platini led France and Van Basten was another Dutch legend.
- Franz Beckenbauer is one of the only defenders to win the award, and he won it twice for Germany.
- Lev Yashin from the Soviet Union is the only goalkeeper to have ever won the Ballon d'Or, which he did in 1963.
- George Weah made history in 1995 as the first player from outside of Europe to win.
- Rodri is the most recent winner, earning the trophy in 2024 for his amazing performances with Manchester City and Spain.
Wins by Player
This table shows the players who have finished in the top three most often.
| Player | Winner | Second place | Third place |
|---|---|---|---|
 Lionel Messi |
8 (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023) | 5 (2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017) | 1 (2007) |
 Cristiano Ronaldo |
5 (2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017) | 6 (2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2018) | 1 (2019) |
 Michel Platini |
3 (1983, 1984, 1985) | 2 (1977, 1980) | |
 Johan Cruyff |
3 (1971, 1973, 1974) | 1 (1975) | |
| Marco van Basten |
3 (1988, 1989, 1992) | ||
 Franz Beckenbauer |
2 (1972, 1976) | 2 (1974, 1975) | 1 (1966) |
 Ronaldo |
2 (1997, 2002) | 1 (1996) | 1 (1998) |
 Alfredo Di Stéfano |
2 (1957, 1959) | 1 (1956) | |
 Kevin Keegan |
2 (1978, 1979) | 1 (1977) | |
| Karl-Heinz Rummenigge |
2 (1980, 1981) | 1 (1979) |
Wins by Country and Club
Players from many different countries have won the Ballon d'Or. Argentina leads with eight wins, all from Lionel Messi. France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Portugal each have seven wins from different players.
When it comes to clubs, Spain's Real Madrid and Barcelona are tied for the most wins. Players from these two clubs have won the award 12 times each. Italian clubs Juventus and Milan are next, with 8 wins each.
Other Important Awards
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At the Ballon d'Or ceremony, other awards are also given out.
- Ballon d'Or Féminin: The award for the best women's football player.
- Kopa Trophy: Given to the best player under the age of 21.
- Yashin Trophy: Awarded to the best goalkeeper of the season, named after the legendary keeper Lev Yashin.
- Gerd Müller Trophy: Given to the top goalscorer of the season.
- Sócrates Award: This award recognizes a player's work to help others and make the world a better place.
- Club of the Year: An award for the best men's and women's clubs.
- Johan Cruyff Trophy: An award for the best men's and women's coaches.
Special Honours
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Super Ballon d'Or
In 1989, a very special award called the Super Ballon d'Or was given to Alfredo Di Stéfano. He was voted the best player from all the past Ballon d'Or winners, beating legends like Johan Cruyff and Michel Platini. This was a one-time award, making it incredibly unique.
In 1995, Diego Maradona received an honorary Golden Ballon d'Or to recognize his amazing career. Pelé also received a special award in 2013.
Player of the Century
In 1999, France Football asked past Ballon d'Or winners to vote for the Football Player of the Century. The legendary Brazilian player Pelé won the vote. He was chosen as the greatest player of all time by 17 of the voters, beating Diego Maradona, who finished in second place.
The Dream Team
In 2020, France Football created the Ballon d'Or Dream Team. They selected an all-time greatest team of football players. A panel of 140 journalists from around the world voted to pick the best players in a 3-4-3 formation.
The First Team included legends like Lev Yashin in goal, Franz Beckenbauer in defense, Pelé and Diego Maradona in midfield, and Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as forwards. Second and third teams were also named, featuring other incredible players from football history.
Images for kids
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Stanley Matthews was the first-ever winner of the Ballon d'Or.
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Luis Suárez was the first midfielder to win the award.
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Lev Yashin is the only goalkeeper to ever win the Ballon d'Or.
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Johan Cruyff was the first player to win the award three times.
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Franz Beckenbauer is the only defender to win the award twice.
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George Weah was the first non-European player to win the award.
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Ronaldo was the first South American to win and is the youngest-ever winner.
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Rodri is the current holder of the award.
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Karl-Heinz Rummenigge won the award in 1980 and 1981.
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Michel Platini won the award three years in a row from 1983 to 1985.
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One of Lionel Messi's trophies on display at the FC Barcelona Museum.
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Milan teammates Marco van Basten (left) and Ruud Gullit (right) won in back-to-back years.
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Robert Lewandowski has won the Gerd Müller Trophy twice for being the top scorer.
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Alfredo Di Stéfano won the Ballon d'Or twice and was also awarded the special Super Ballon d'Or.
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See also
In Spanish: Balón de Oro para niños
