Ballon d’Or Winner List 1956 to 2023, Nominations, Voting, Ranking

Ballon d’Or Winner List 1956 to 2023, Nominations, Voting: The Ballon d’Or, an esteemed accolade, is an annual honor celebrated in the world of sports. This prestigious award, presented by the renowned French magazine France Football, has been a tradition since 1956. The inaugural recipient of this coveted honor was Stanley Matthews from England. Known for its historical significance, the Ballon d’Or recognizes outstanding individual achievements in the field of football.

What is Ballon d’Or Awards?

Each year, France Football magazine presents the Ballon d’Or, an esteemed accolade for the standout footballer of the year. This prestigious award was conceived by former French footballer and journalist Gabriel Hanot, known for his role in founding Ligue 1 and co-creating the UEFA Champions League with colleague Jacques Ferran.

Since its inception in 1956, the Ballon d’Or was initially reserved for European players at European clubs, originally named the European Footballer of the Year award. It has evolved to honor the world’s best football talent, recognizing outstanding performances on a global scale.

Ballon d’Or Award Winners List 1956 to 2023

Who have won most number of Ballon d’Or Awards?

Lionel Messi stands as the Ballon d’Or record-holder, clinching eight wins, surpassing his rival Cristiano Ronaldo by three. Between 2009 and 2012, the Argentina captain secured four consecutive Ballon d’Or titles and was the inaugural FIFA Ballon d’Or recipient.

The iconic Barcelona figure, now part of Paris Saint-Germain, marked his seventh Ballon d’Or triumph in 2021. His stellar performance aided Argentina in their Copa America victory and contributed to Barcelona’s Copa Del Rey 2020-21 win. Messi’s achievements have solidified his legacy in football history.

How winner of Ballon d’Or is selected?

The Ballon d’Or has some changes previous year, impacting who might win. Traditionally, it goes to the best player over a January to December period. France Football, a respected football publication, shortlisted 30 contenders, including 20 for the women’s award. A hundred journalists from FIFA’s top nations pick their top five from the men’s list, while 50 journalists do the same for the women.

Scoring works as follows:

•  First: Six points
•  Second: Four points
•  Third: Three points
•  Fourth: Two points
•  Fifth: One point

Tie-breakers consider first-place votes. The main criteria for jury members include individual and team performance from the previous season, a player’s class, and their career.

The player with the most points wins the Ballon d’Or, which will be announced soon. Stay tuned to see who takes home this prestigious award.

Official Website

How Ballon d’Or voting works?

The Ballon d’Or has a unique voting process. It involves 100 journalists representing FIFA’s top 100 nations, each selecting their top five players from a 30-player shortlist. They assign points to their choices, with the first-ranked player earning six points, second getting four, third receiving three, fourth two, and fifth one.

Only one journalist per country can cast their vote, and they can choose players from their own nation or affiliated ones. In case of a tie for the top spot, the winner is determined by the number of times they were voted as the first choice. If the tie persists, second-place votes are considered, and then third-place votes as a tie-breaker. This process ensures a fair and rigorous selection of the Ballon d’Or winner.

Ballon d’Or Rankings 2023

As we eagerly await the final ceremony, the 30-player shortlist for the prestigious men’s Ballon d’Or award is buzzing with anticipation.

Lionel Messi, is now eight-time winner and the all-time leader, is the winner to clinch the award once again, fueled by his recent World Cup victory with Argentina in Qatar 2022. Messi’s closest rival this year was Erling Haaland, who made an impressive mark with 52 goals in his debut season at Manchester City.

While being among the final 30 is an outstanding achievement, the list narrows down to a select few players with a genuine shot at the coveted prize. Here, you’ll find the full roster of these 30 remarkable finalists.

Ballon d’Or 2023 nominations list

Nominees Male

• Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig and Manchester City)
• Andre Onana (Inter Milan and Manchester United)
• Karim Benzema (Real Madrid and Al-Ittihad)
• Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
• Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)
• Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
• Randal Kolo Muani (Eintracht Frankfurt and Paris Saint-Germain)
• Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid)
• Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
• Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
• Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli)
• Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa)
• Ruben Dias (Manchester City)
• Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan)
• Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
• Martin Odegaard (Arsenal)
• Ilkay Gundogan (Manchester City and Barcelona)
• Yassine Bounou (Sevilla and Al-Hilal)
• Julian Alvarez (Manchester City)
• Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid)
• Rodrigo (Manchester City)
• Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami)
• Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid)
• Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan)
• Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona)
• Kim Min-jae (Napoli and Bayern Munich)
• Luka Modric (Real Madrid)
• Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-German)
• Victor Osimhen (Napoli)
• Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich)

Nominees Female

• Daphne Van Domselaar (Twente and Aston Villa)
• Lena Oberdorf (Vfl Wolfsburg)
• Hinata Miyazawa (MyNavi Sendai)
• Millie Bright (Chelsea)
• Salma Paralluelo (Barcelona)
• Sophia Smith (Portland Thorns)
• Hayley Raso (Manchester City and Real Madrid)
• Amanda Ilestedt (Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal)
• Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich)
• Olga Carmona (Real Madrid)
• Fridolina Rolfo (Barcelona)
• Rachel Daly (Aston Villa)
• Alba Redondo (Levante)
• Lina Caicedo (Real Madrid)
• Kadidiatou Diani (Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais)
• Patricia Guijarro (Barcelona)
• Ewa Pajor (Vfl Wolfsburg)
• Guro Reiten (Chelsea)
• Sam Kerr (Chelsea)
• Debinha (North Carlina Courage and Kansas City Current)
• Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona)
• Alexandra Popp (Vfl Wolfsburg)
• Yui Hasegawa (Manchester City)
• Jill Roord (Vfl Wolfsburg and Manchester City)
• Katie McCabe (Arsenal)
• Wendie Renard (Olympique Lyonnais)
• Asisat Oshoala (Barcelona)
• Mary Earps (Manchester United)
• Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw (Manchester City)
• Mapi Leon (Barcelona)

Where to watch Ballon d’Or 2023 

The official broadcast details for the upcoming Ballon d’Or ceremony in 2023 have not been revealed yet. Fans can catch the event on the L’Équipe website at francefootball.fr/ballon-d-or or on the official YouTube channel, just like they did for the 2022 edition. Additionally, Eurosport’s website and app were other options to watch the awards. As of now, there’s no indication that the arrangements will differ for the 2023 version of the ceremony. Stay tuned for updates on where to watch this prestigious event.

Ballon d’Or Winner 2023

In September 2023, we eagerly anticipate the announcement of the 30 nominees for the 2023 Ballon d’Or award. Notably, Lionel Messi, a seven-time winner, makes a strong comeback after his absence from the 2022 list. Messi stands as one of the top contenders for this prestigious accolade. The exciting climax to this anticipation is the awards ceremony set to take place on October 30, hosted at the Theatre du Chatelet in the enchanting city of Paris.

Who was first Ballon d’Or Winner?

In 1956, the inaugural Ballon d’Or was claimed by the legendary Stanley Matthews, a football icon celebrated for his exceptional ball control, dribbling prowess, and tactical brilliance. Matthews’s remarkable career included a memorable 1953 FA Cup final where he orchestrated Blackpool’s thrilling 4-3 comeback victory against Bolton Wanderers, forever etching it as the ‘Matthews final.’

In the 1955-56 season, Matthews played a crucial role in Blackpool’s runner-up finish in the English top-flight, which ultimately led to him clinching the prestigious Ballon d’Or, making him the first-ever recipient of this coveted award. His remarkable skills and contributions to the sport continue to be celebrated to this day.

Who was first female Ballon d’Or Winner?

In 2018, the inaugural Ballon d’Or Féminin was claimed by Norway’s Ada Hegerberg, marking a historic moment. At just 23 years old, Hegerberg showcased her outstanding skills by emerging as the top scorer for Olympique Lyonnais in both the 2017-18 Division 1 Féminine, with an impressive 31 goals, and the UEFA Women’s Champions League, where she netted 15 goals. Her exceptional achievements made her the deserving recipient of this prestigious award, shining a light on the growing recognition of women’s football.