{
  "id": 6395282,
  "title": "Ballon d’Or history: Full list of winners from 1956 to 2025",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/ballon-dor-history-full-list-of-winners-from-1956-to-2025",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-09T07:48:12.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch",
    "slug": "punch",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/ballon-dor-history-full-list-of-winners-from-1956-to-2025/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Ballon d'Or, an annual award recognizing the best male football player in the world, has been presented since 1956. Initially, it was restricted to European players, excluding iconic talents like Pelé and Diego Maradona. UEFA notes the award's evolution, changing eligibility in 1995 to include non-European players playing for European clubs. A significant expansion in 2007 made the award global, extending eligibility beyond players competing for European clubs. Between 2010 and 2015, France Football partnered with FIFA to merge the award with the FIFA World Player of the Year prize, known as the FIFA Ballon d'Or during that period. The partnership ended in 2015, and France Football resumed control in 2016.\n\nNotable winners include Stanley Matthews, Alfredo Di Stéfano, Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini, Ronaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lionel Messi. The award underwent another change in 2022, shifting from a calendar year evaluation to a season-based period. UEFA and Groupe Amaury now co-organise the ceremony, with journalists voting from the top rankings in men's and women's FIFA world rankings. Critics highlight the Ballon d'Or as not solely based on trophy count, considering individual performances, impact, sporting conduct, and fair play.\n\nMessi holds the record with eight wins, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo with five. Johan Cruyff and Michel Platini each won three times, with Platini being the only player to secure three consecutive victories. The award was not presented in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. France Football's latest honours list identifies Ousmane Dembélé, playing for Paris Saint-Germain and France, as the most recent winner, securing the 2025 award. The 2026 edition will take place in London on October 26, marking the 70th anniversary of the award.",
  "summary": "See the complete list of all Ballon d’Or winners from 1956 to the present. Explore the history of football’s most prestigious individual award. Read More: https://punchng.com/ballon-dor-history-full-list-of-winners-from-1956-to-2025/",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Punch",
        "title": "FULL LIST: Top 10 greatest dynasties in European football history",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/09/full-list-top-10-greatest-dynasties-in-european-football-history",
        "published": "2026-09-09T07:48:12.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}