Ballon d’Or winners by year
Every Ballon d’Or winner since 2005, the club they played for and the players with the most awards.
| Year | Winner | Club |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Ousmane Dembélé | Paris Saint-Germain |
| 2024 | Rodri | Manchester City |
| 2023 | Lionel Messi | Inter Miami |
| 2022 | Karim Benzema | Real Madrid |
| 2021 | Lionel Messi | Paris Saint-Germain |
| 2020 | — not awarded (pandemic) | — |
| 2019 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona |
| 2018 | Luka Modrić | Real Madrid |
| 2017 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid |
| 2016 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid |
| 2015 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona |
| 2014 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid |
| 2013 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid |
| 2012 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona |
| 2011 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona |
| 2010 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona |
| 2009 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona |
| 2008 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Manchester United |
| 2007 | Kaká | Milan |
| 2006 | Fabio Cannavaro | Real Madrid |
| 2005 | Ronaldinho | Barcelona |
Most awards in the modern era
| Player | Awards since 2005 |
|---|---|
| Lionel Messi | 8 |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | 5 |
| Fabio Cannavaro | 1 |
| Kaká | 1 |
| Karim Benzema | 1 |
| Luka Modrić | 1 |
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo split almost every award between 2009 and 2023. The only interruptions were Kaká in 2007, Luka Modrić in 2018, Karim Benzema in 2022 and Rodri in 2024.
Why 2020 has no winner
The 2020 edition was cancelled because the season was disrupted by the pandemic. No award was presented that year, so the list jumps from 2019 to 2021.
Frequently asked questions
Who has won the most Ballon d’Or awards?
Lionel Messi, with eight.
Who votes for the Ballon d’Or?
A jury of journalists from FIFA’s member countries; the exact rules are set by the organiser each year.
Is there a women’s award?
Yes, the Ballon d’Or Féminin has been presented since 2018.
Has a goalkeeper ever won it?
Yes — Lev Yashin in 1963 is the only goalkeeper to win the award.
