This year celebrates the 68th edition of the Ballon d’Or, one of football’s most prestigious individual awards. Recognizing excellence in both the men’s and women’s game, the Ballon d’Or is considered the pinnacle of individual achievement in the sport. While multiple categories are awarded, all eyes are on who will succeed 2023 winner Lionel Messi in the men’s category and whether Aitana Bonmatí will retain her title as the top player in the women’s division.
What is Ballon d’Or
The Ballon d’Or, awarded by France Football since 1956, honors the best footballer of the season. Founded by Gabriel Hanot and Jacques Ferran, it originally recognized only European players. Expanded in 1995 to include players globally active in Europe, it became a worldwide award in 2007, with eligibility eventually limited to journalist voting again in 2016.
When is the Ballon d’Or 2024 going to held?
The event is scheduled for Monday, October 28 at 19:45 GMT (1:15 AM IST, October 29) at the Paris Theatre du Chatelet.
Who are the nominees for the Ballon d’Or awards?
Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, Declan Rice, and forwards Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer are the six England players nominated in the men’s division.
Additionally nominated are William Saliba, Emiliano Martinez, Martin Odegaard, and Ruben Dias, all of whom play in England.
Three members of the English team, Lauren James, Lucy Bronze, and Lauren Hemp, are competing in the women’s division.
There are six more Women’s Super League nominations, including Mariona Caldentey of Arsenal, Yui Hasegawa and Khadija Shaw of Manchester City, and Chelsea’s Sjoeke Nusken and Mayra Ramirez.
Where to watch the live streaming of the Ballon d’Or?
The event is scheduled to take place on Monday, October 29, at 1:15 AM IST. Fans can catch the live stream on L’Equipe’s YouTube channel.
Ballon d’Or winners list over the years
- 1956: Stanley Matthews — Blackpool and England
- 1957: Alfredo Di Stafano — Real Madrid and Spain
- 1958: Raymond Kopa — Real Madrid and France
- 1959: Alfredo Di Stefano (2) — Real Madrid and Spain
- 1960: Luis Suarez — Barcelona and Spain
- 1961: Omar Sivori — Juventus and Italy
- 1962: Josef Masopust — Dukla Prague and Czechoslovakia
- 1963: Lev Yashin — Dynamo Moscow and USSR
- 1964: Denis Law — Manchester United and Scotland
- 1965: Eusebio — Benfica and Portugal
- 1966: Bobby Charlton — Manchester United and England
- 1967: Florian Albert — Ferencvaros and Hungary
- 1968: George Best — Manchester United and Northern Ireland
- 1969: Gianni Rivera — AC Milan and Italy
- 1970: Gerd Muller — Bayern Munich and Germany
- 1971: Johan Cruyff — Ajax and Netherlands
- 1972: Franz Beckenbauer — Bayern Munich and West Germany
- 1973: Johan Cruyff (2) — Barcelona and Netherlands
- 1974: Johan Cruyff (3) — Barcelona and Netherlands
- 1975: Oleg Blokhin — Dynamo Kyiv and USSR
- 1976: Franz Beckenbauer (2) — Bayern Munich and West Germany
- 1977: Allan Simonsen — Borussia Monchengladbach and Denmark
- 1978: Kevin Keegan — Hamburg and England
- 1979: Kevin Keegan (2) — Hamburg and England
- 1980: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge — Bayern Munich and West Germany
- 1981: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (2) — Bayern Munich and West Germany
- 1982: Paolo Rossi — Juventus and Italy
- 1983: Michel Platini — France and Juventus
- 1984: Michel Platini (2) — France and Juventus
- 1985: Michel Platini (3) — France and Juventus
- 1986: Igor Belanov — Dynamo Kyiv and USSR
- 1987: Ruud Gullit — AC Milan and Netherlands
- 1988: Marco van Basten — AC Milan and Netherlands
- 1989: Marco van Basten (2) — AC Milan and Netherlands
- 1990: Lothar Matthaus — Inter Milan and Germany
- 1991: Jean-Pierre Papin — Marseille and France
- 1992: Marco van Basten (3) — AC Milan and Netherlands
- 1993: Roberto Baggio — Juventus and Italy
- 1994: Hristo Stoichkov — Barcelona and Bulgaria
- 1995: George Weah — AC Milan and Liberia
- 1996: Matthias Sammer — Borussia Dortmund and Germany
- 1997: Ronaldo — Inter Milan and Brazil
- 1998: Zinedine Zidane — Juventus and France
- 1999: Rivaldo — Barcelona and Brazil
- 2000: Luis Figo — Real Madrid and Portugal
- 2001: Michael Owen — Liverpool and England
- 2002: Ronaldo (2) — Real Madrid and Brazil
- 2003: Pavel Nedved — Juventus and Czech Republic
- 2004: Andriy Shevchenko — AC Milan and Ukraine
- 2005: Ronaldinho — Barcelona and Brazil
- 2006: Fabio Cannavaro — Real Madrid and Italy
- 2007: Kaka — AC Milan and Brazil
- 2008: Cristiano Ronaldo — Manchester United and Portugal
- 2009: Lionel Messi — Barcelona and Argentina
- 2010: Lionel Messi (2) — Barcelona and Argentina
- 2011: Lionel Messi (3) — Barcelona and Argentina
- 2012: Lionel Messi (4) — Barcelona and Argentina
- 2013: Cristiano Ronaldo (2) — Real Madrid and Portugal
- 2014: Cristiano Ronaldo (3) — Real Madrid and Portugal
- 2015: Lionel Messi (5) — Barcelona and Argentina
- 2016: Cristiano Ronaldo (4) — Real Madrid and Portugal
- 2017: Cristiano Ronaldo (5) — Real Madrid and Portugal
- 2018: Luka Modric — Real Madrid and Croatia
- 2019: Lionel Messi (6) — Barcelona and Argentina
- 2020: Not awarded due to COVID-19 pandemic
- 2021: Lionel Messi (7) — Paris Saint-Germain and Argentina
- 2022: Karim Benzema — Real Madrid and France
- 2023: Lionel Messi (8) — Inter Miami and Argentina
- 2024: TBD, Oct. 28
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