FIFA Ballon d’Or award is the highest level of individual award in football and it is awarded to the best player in the world every year. The history about the current Ballon d’Or award is a bit complex so lets explain it briefly. Ballon d’Or award started back in 1956 and it was known as “European Player Of the year award” and only the players from europe were eligible for this award. But In 1995 the rules were changed and any player playing for European club could win it. But in 2009 it was merged with “FIFA’s player of the year award” and became FIFA Ballon d’or which any footballer from any part of the world can win it.
Update: Lionel Messi has won the 2019 Ballon d’Or award which is his sixth of the career taking him top of the all-time ballon d’or charts. Thats one more than his nearest rival Cristiano Ronaldo who have 5 to his name.
Now lets take a look at the all past winners of Ballon d’Or (now FIFA Ballon d’Or) award. From 1956 only european players were eligible but in 1995 any nationality player playing for a european club was eligible.
| YEAR | WINNER | NATIONALITY | CLUB |
| 2019 | Lionel Messi (New) | Argentina | FC Barcelona |
| 2018 | Luka Modric | Croatia | Real Madrid |
| 2017 | Cristiano Ronald | Portugal | Real Madrid |
| 2016 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | Real Madrid |
| 2015 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | FC Barcelona |
| 2014 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | Real Madrid |
| 2013 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | Real Madrid |
| 2012 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | FC Barcelona |
| 2011 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | FC Barcelona |
| 2010 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | FC Barcelona |
| 2009 | Lionel Messi | Argentina | FC Barcelona |
| 2008 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | Manchester United |
| 2007 | Kaká | Brazil | AC Milan |
| 2006 | Fabio Cannavaro | Italy | Real Madrid/Juventus |
| 2005 | Ronaldinho | Brazil | Barcelona |
| 2004 | Andriy Shevchenko | Ukraine | AC Milan |
| 2003 | Pavel Nedvěd | Czech Republic | Juventus |
| 2002 | Ronaldo | Brazil | Real Madrid |
| 2001 | Michael Owen | England | Liverpool |
| 2000 | Luís Figo | Portugal | Real Madrid |
| 1999 | Rivaldo | Brazil | Barcelona |
| 1998 | Zinedine Zidane | France | Juventus |
| 1997 | Ronaldo | Brazil | Inter Milan |
| 1996 | Matthias Sammer | Germany | Borussia Dortmund |
| 1995 | George Weah | Liberia | AC Milan |
| 1994 | Hristo Stoichkov | Bulgaria | Barcelona |
| 1993 | Roberto Baggio | Italy | Juventus |
| 1992 | Marco van Basten | Netherlands | AC Milan |
| 1991 | Jean-Pierre Papin | France | Marseille |
| 1990 | Lothar Matthäus | Germany | Inter Milan |
| 1989 | Marco van Basten | Netherlands | AC Milan |
| 1988 | Marco van Basten | Netherlands | AC Milan |
| 1987 | Ruud Gullit | Netherlands | AC Milan |
| 1986 | Igor Belanov | Soviet Union | Dynamo Kyiv |
| 1985 | Michel Platini | France | Juventus |
| 1984 | Michel Platini | France | Juventus |
| 1983 | Michel Platini | France | Juventus |
| 1982 | Paolo Rossi | Italy | Juventus |
| 1981 | Karl-Heinz Rummenigge | Germany | Bayern Munich |
| 1980 | Karl-Heinz Rummenigge | Germany | Bayern Munich |
| 1979 | Kevin Keegan | England | Hamburg |
| 1978 | Kevin Keegan | England | Hamburg |
| 1977 | Allan Simonsen | Denmark | Borussia M”nchengladbach |
| 1976 | Franz Beckenbauer | Germany | Bayern Munich |
| 1975 | Oleg Blokhin | Soviet Union | Dynamo Kyiv |
| 1974 | Johan Cruyff | Netherlands | Barcelona |
| 1973 | Johan Cruyff | Netherlands | Barcelona |
| 1972 | Franz Beckenbauer | Germany | Bayern Munich |
| 1971 | Johan Cruyff | Netherlands | Barcelona |
| 1970 | Gerd Müller | Germany | Bayern Munich |
| 1969 | Gianni Rivera | Italy | Milan |
| 1968 | George Best | Northern Ireland | Manchester United |
| 1967 | Flórián Albert | Hungary | Ferencv rosi TC |
| 1966 | Bobby Charlton | England | Manchester United |
| 1965 | Eusébio | Portugal | Benfica |
| 1964 | Denis Law | Scotland | Manchester United |
| 1963 | Lev Yashin | Soviet Union | Dynamo Moscow |
| 1962 | Josef Masopust | Czechoslovakia | Dukla Prague |
| 1961 | Omar Sívori | Italy | Juventus |
| 1960 | Luis Suárez | Spain | Barcelona |
| 1959 | Alfredo Di Stéfano | Spain | Real Madrid |
| 1958 | Raymond Kopa | France | Real Madrid |
| 1957 | Alfredo Di Stéfano | Spain | Real Madrid |
| 1956 | Stanley Matthews | England | Blackpool |
Jury & Selection Process: Since 2009 when both Ballon d’Or and FIFA Player of the year award were merged the selection process also disclosed to public. All national team captains and Coaches plus 1 specialist journalists from every country can vote for the nominees. The get a draft where they have to pick three players in decending order and when the drafts are return FIFA calculate points account to following criteria. 1 position pick is awarded 5 points, second pick is 3 and third pick gets 1 point. So around 500 voters (170 national team captain, 170 national coaches and around 170 journalists) choices are counted and the player with most points get the Ballon Dor award.
This is the best for of inclusivity of all people who love football and most of all its open to the public to know how the processes are done.
thinks marcelo of RMD deserve the award this 2016/2017 season
Ronaldo has 6 and messi has 5
iniesta and xavi never won, surprised
who is iniesta who is xavi???
My friend 6 what? 6 apples or strawberries? Where did you see 6 as he has 4?
Cristiano Ronaldo has won 4 Ballon D’or’s since 2008. The Ronaldo that was won it twice before that is the brazilian Ronaldo.
I boateng baafi aka phla*cypress hopes and know ronaldo will take it for the fifth time
Tweaa what Ronaldo
why that the award is currently given to only scores.
they have forgoten that the magician:(messi:) is there
Don’t panic they will be amazed
buffon deserve the award
He don’t deserve anything
CR7 Takes Again.
I want to sugest that fifa should stop giving both of them this ballon d’Or by or 2ru new consti2tion that if any player reach 5th should 4get it n they should look for another best player or after if any one of them win 5th TRUPHY.
It focuses on ur performance
Up CR-7, up Mou.
CR_7 IS THE ONLY PLAYER CAN DESEVEND
RONALDO ALL D WAY NO COMPETION
RONALDO ALL D WAY NO COMPETION
Marcus RASFORD deserve the award
Marcus RASHFORD deserve the award
marcelo,kroos,messi,neymar,buffon,dybala,ronaldo,all deserve the price but one thing fifa should note is that, for goals to be scored there needs to be a creator for them and for goals not to come, there need to be a stopper for them. it is high time a midfielder/defender/keeper wins the award.
Cr7 is unstoppable nd de greatest ever footballer. up my soccer legend
CR-7 is the greatess player in history that,s why he deserved it (long live the king of football chmps”)
Messi deserves the award , (2017-2018) season FIFA ballon d’or because he is more complete footballer in any position, Cr7 only a penalty box finisher.
Goal machine cr7 deserves it , the world must be happy to have him play the game.