The Ballon D'or (Golden Ball) was created by France Football magazine in 1956 and is the most prestigious individual award in the sport despite not 'officially' being recognised by the World governing body FIFA or the European governing body UEFA. France Football nominate a list of players and journalists cast their votes at the end of each calendar year.

Prior to 1995 only Europeans were eligible for the award. Non Europeans who won the award previously i.e. Omar Sivori, Alfredo Di Stefano and Eusebio were eligible after they gained citizenship in their adopted countries.

  Year Player Position Club Country League
1956 Stanley Matthews MF Blackpool England England
1957 Alfredo Di Stefano FW Real Madrid Argentina Spain
1958 Raymond Kopa FW Real Madrid France Spain
1959 Alfredo Di Stefano FW Real Madrid Argentina Spain
1960 Luis Suarez MF Barcelona Spain Spain
1961 Omar Sivori FW Juventus Argentina Italy
1962 Joseph Masopust MF Dukla Prague Czech Republic Czech Republic
1963 Lev Yashin GK Dynamo Moscow Russia Russia
1964 Denis Law FW Manchester United Scotland England
1965 Eusebio FW Benfica Portugal Portugal
1966 Bobby Charlton MF Manchester United England England
1967 Florian Albert FW Ferencvaros Hungary Hungary
1968 George Best MF Manchester United Northern Ireland England
1969 Gianni Rivera FW Milan Italy Italy
1970 Gerd Muller FW Bayern Munich Germany Germany
1971 Johan Cruijff FW Ajax Netherlands Netherlands
1972 Franz Beckenbauer DF Bayern Munich Germany Germany
1973 Johan Cruijff FW Ajax Netherlands Netherlands
1974 Johan Cruijff FW Ajax Netherlands Netherlands
1975 Oleg Blokhin FW Dynamo Kyiv Russia Russia
1976 Franz Beckenbauer DF Bayern Munich Germany Germany
1977 Allan Simonsen FW Monchengladbach Danish Germany
1978 Kevin Keegan FW Hamburg England Germany
1979 Kevin Keegan FW Hamburg England Germany
1980 Karl-Heinze Rummenigge FW Bayern Munich Germany Germany
1981 Karl-Heinze Rummenigge FW Bayern Munich Germany Germany
1982 Paolo Rossi FW Juventus Italy Italy
1983 Michel Platini MF Juventus France Italy
1984 Michel Platini MF Juventus France Italy
1985 Michel Platini MF Juventus France Italy
1986 Igor Belanov FW Dynamo Kyiv Russia Russia
1987 Ruud Gullit FW Milan Netherlands Italy
1988 Marco Van Basten FW Milan Netherlands Italy
1989 Marco Van Basten FW Milan Netherlands Italy
1990 Lothar Matthaus MF Inter Germany Italy
1991 Jean Pierre Papin FW Marseille France France
1992 Marco Van Basten FW Milan Netherlands Italy
1993 Roberto Baggio FW Juventus Italy Italy
1994 Hristo Stoichkov FW Barcelona Bulgaria Spain
1995 George Weah FW Milan Liberia Italy
1996 Matthias Sammer DF Dortmund Germany Germany
1997 Ronaldo FW Inter Brazil Italy
1998 Zinedine Zidane MF Juventus France Italy
1999 Rivaldo FW Barcelona Brazil Spain
2000 Luis Figo MF Real Madrid Portugal Spain
2001 Michael Owen FW Liverpool England England
2002 Ronaldo FW Real Madrid Brazil Spain
2003 Pavel Nedved MF Juventus Czech Republic Italy
2004 Andriy Shevchenko FW Milan Ukraine Italy
2005 Ronaldinho FW Barcelona Brazil Spain
2006 Fabio Cannavaro DF Real Madrid Italy Spain
2007 Kaka' MF Milan Brazil Italy
  2008 Cristiano Ronaldo MF Manchester United Portugal England
             

Position : Goalkeepers (1), Defenders (4), Midfielders (14), Forwards (34)
Nation : Netherlands (7), Germany (7), France (6), Brazil (5), England (5), Italy (4), Argentina (3),Portugal (3),
Russia (3), Czech Republic (2), Others (8)
League : Italy (18), Spain (10), Germany (9), England (6), Netherlands (3), Russia (3), Others (4)
Club : Juventus (8), Milan (8), Real Madrid (6), Bayern Munich (5), Barcelona (4), Manchester United, (4), Ajax (3),
Dynamo Kyiv (2), Hamburg (2), Inter (2), Others (9)