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The Ballon d’Or is an award that has captured the imagination of football fans, pundits and players all over Europe and the world. There have been some truly great players who have won the prestigious individual prize and cemented their legacy as world-class superstars.
Earlier, the award was restricted to only European footballers which meant that greats like Pele and Maradona never had the opportunity to win the award. However, in 1995, the award was expanded to included even Non-Europeans provided they played in European clubs.
In 2007, the award became truly global including all the players from around the world. In this article, we attempt to pick out and rank the best 10 players who have won the Ballon d’Or award.
Lionel Messi
Tied with Cristiano Ronaldo for the most number of Ballon d’Or wins, Lionel Messi has redefined what a footballer can do individually in a match.
Bursting into the scene as a fresh-faced La Masia kid in 2005, Messi first under the tutelage of Frank Rijkaard and then more importantly under Pep Guardiola honed his skills and established himself as one of the greatest players to ever grace the game.
Having arguably taken his game to new heights, the only thing keeping Messi away from being declared the greatest player of all time is the lack of a World Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are the two greatest footballers of our generation without a doubt. Driving each other on to glory and greatness, the duo has broken numerous goalscoring and individual records.
Currently tied on 5 Ballon d’Or awards with Messi, the Portuguese superstar is still going strong and is determined to end his career as the best footballer to ever play the game. Sir Alex Ferguson discovered a precociously talented kid in Sporting CP, Cristiano Ronaldo and it is at Manchester United that the Portuguese Superstar first cemented his legacy as one of the greatest players of our generation.
Arguably the best goal scorer to ever play the game, Ronaldo is primed to achieve further greatness with both Real Madrid and the Portuguese national team.
Ronaldo Luís Nazário de Lima
When a player plays for Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and AC Milan and still has no haters, you know that he is something special. Ronaldo de Lima also popularly known as ‘The Phenomenon’ is probably the greatest striker to ever play the game.
Winner of the Ballon d’Or in 1997 and 2002, Ronaldo during his single season at Barcelona was almost unplayable. Blessed with pace, physicality, technical skills, dribbling and excellent finishing skills, Ronaldo quite simply put had no weaknesses in his game.
Guiding Brazil to the World Cup title in 2002, Ronaldo for a period of 5-6 years was head and shoulders above any forwards in world football.
Zinedine Zidane
A true big match player, Zidane won the Ballon d’Or in 1998 for his stunning performances with the French national team and Italian giants Juventus. While the legendary Frenchman might have claimed only one Ballon d’Or during his inspirational career, what set Zidane apart from other players was his incredible longevity at the top of the game.
Scoring a brace of headed goals in a World Cup final, scoring a stunning goal in the Champions League final for Madrid, playing an inspirational role in France’s 2000 Euro triumph and almost guiding France to the 2006 World Cup title, Zidane could always be counted on to produce a piece of magic and turn the match.
Johan Cruyff
The man who created a whole new philosophy of ‘total football’, Johan Cruyff is rightly considered by many to be one of the most important people in football’s history. Cruyff redefined the way the game was played and won the Ballon d’Or award an incredible 3 times (1971,1973,1974) during his stellar career.
Cruyff first created his legacy in Ajax where he guided the Dutch giants to multiple League titles and 3 stunning European Championships playing an integral role and leading from the front. However, what Cruyff is best remembered for in the modern era is the transformation he brought at Barcelona. Guiding the Catalan giants to their first League title in 14 years immediately after joining them, Cruyff is considered a cult hero and it was he who first introduced the ethos of tiki-taka and beautiful football at the Camp Nou.
Alfredo Di Stefano
Real Madrid’s greatest ever player and an integral part of their dominance in the 1950s, Alfredo Di Stefano had a long 20-year career where he was among the top footballers of the world for the entire duration.
Best known for his achievements with Real Madrid, Di Stefano scored an incredible 307 goals in 396 appearances and won 15 major honours with Los Blancos including 5 straight European Championships.
Winner of the Ballon d’Or in 1957 and 1959, the Real Madrid legend was considered by some people to be even better than Pele and Maradona.
Michel Platini
France might well consider their greatest ever player to be Zinedine Zidane, but before the current Real Madrid manager had weaved his magic, Les Blues had another improbably talented playmaker – Michel Platini.
Credited with making France a global superpower in football, the diminutive Frenchman enjoyed a long and fruitful career for both his club and country. Operating as a number 10 and an advanced playmaker, Platini often reserved his best for the biggest matches scoring a number of crucial goals when it mattered the most.
Platini won the Ballon d’Or 3 years consecutively (1983,84 and 85), his best year, however, was undoubtedly 1984 when he guided France almost singlehandedly to their maiden Euro Championship title scoring an incredible 9 goals in just 5 games.
George Best
Charismatic and supremely talented, George Best was the first in a long line of truly great number 7s to play for Manchester United.
Considered by many pundits to be among the greatest dribblers of all time, Best with his skills, feints, tricks and pace completely tormented opposition defenders and always put his best performances when it mattered the most.
Best won the Ballon d’Or in 1968 for helping Manchester United win the European Cup for the first time. Scoring a wonderful goal in the final against Benfica, Best also finished as the top scorer in the League for the 1967/68 season.
Ronaldinho
The first step towards Barcelona’s dominance of modern football was achieved with the signing of Ronaldinho. One of the most skilled players ever to play the game. Ronaldinho’s signing in 2003 ushered in a new era of dominance for Barcelona.
A first league title in six years was a direct result of the Brazilian’s artistry. Who can forget the way he destroyed Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2005 where even the Madridistas stood up to applaud.
Winner of the Ballon d’Or award in 2005, Ronaldinho for a couple of years was simply unplayable. Blessed with immense talent and technical ability, the Brazilian terrorised opposition defence with his tricks, dribbles and stunning goals.
Franz Beckenbauer
Germany and Bayern Munich legend Franz Beckenbauer is arguably the greatest defender to ever play the game. Nicknamed ‘Der Kaiser’ (The Emperor), Beckenbauer led Germany and Bayern Munich to immense success winning 4 Bundesliga titles, 3 European Cups and even the World Cup.
Starting his career as a defensive midfielder, Beckenbauer soon made the shift to defence where he pioneered the sweeper role. Brilliant on the ball and an excellent reader of the game, the German was a major reason for Munich’s dominance in Europe.
The legendary defender won 2 Ballon d’Ors in 1972 and 1976 for his wonderful performances for both West Germany and Bayern Munich.
Source: sportskeeda
