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The "Ballon d'Or", often referred to as the European Footballer of the Year award, is an annual association football award. It is presented to the player who has been considered to have performed the best over the previous calendar year. The award was conceived by France Football's chief magazine writer Gabriel Hanot, who asked his colleagues to vote for the player of the year in Europe in 1956. The inaugural winner was Stanley Matthews of Blackpool.1
Originally, journalists could only vote for European players at European clubs, meaning that players like Diego Maradona and Pelé were ineligible for the award.2 In 1995, there was a change in the rules to allow non-European players to be eligible for the award if they played for a European club. The first non-European to win after the rule change was Milan's George Weah in the same year.3 The rules were changed again in 2007 so that players of any nationality and from any club around the world could be eligible for the award. As a result, the number of journalists allowed to vote also increased; 96 journalists from around the world chose their top five players, as opposed to the 52 Europe based journalists in 2006.4
Three players have won the award three times each: Johan Cruijff, Michel Platini and Marco van Basten. Platini is the only player to have won the award three times in a row; he won the award from 1983 to 1985.1 Ronaldo became the first Brazilian to win the award in 1997, after non-Europeans were made eligible.3 German players have won the Ballon d'Or the most; five players have won seven awards between them. Italian club Juventus has had the most winners; seven players have won eight awards while playing for the club.5 The most recent recipient of the Ballon d'Or is Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United.6
Contents |
Winners
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By player
| Player | Total | Years |
|---|---|---|
 Johan Cruijff |
3 | 1971, 1973, 1974 |
 Michel Platini |
3 | 1983, 1984, 1985 |
| Marco van Basten |
3 | 1988, 1989, 1992 |
 Alfredo di Stéfano |
2 | 1957, 1959 |
 Franz Beckenbauer |
2 | 1972, 1976 |
 Kevin Keegan |
2 | 1978, 1979 |
| Karl-Heinz Rummenigge |
2 | 1980, 1981 |
 Ronaldo |
2 | 1997, 2002 |
By country
| Country | Players | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Germany |
5 | 7 |
| Netherlands |
3 | 7 |
| France |
4 | 6 |
 Italy |
5 | 5 |
| England |
4 | 5 |
| Brazil |
4 | 5 |
 Soviet Union |
3 | 3 |
 Portugal |
3 | 3 |
 Argentina |
2 | 3 |
| Spain |
2 | 3 |
 Czech Republic |
2 | 2 |
 Ukraine |
1 | 1 |
 Scotland |
1 | 1 |
 Hungary |
1 | 1 |
 Denmark |
1 | 1 |
 Bulgaria |
1 | 1 |
 Liberia |
1 | 1 |
 Northern Ireland |
1 | 1 |
By club
| Club | Players | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Juventus |
6 | 8 |
| Milan |
6 | 8 |
| Barcelona |
5 | 6 |
| Real Madrid |
4 | 6 |
| Bayern Munich |
3 | 5 |
| Manchester United |
4 | 4 |
| Dynamo Kyiv |
2 | 2 |
| Internazionale |
2 | 2 |
| Hamburg |
1 | 2 |
| Blackpool |
1 | 1 |
| Dukla Prague |
1 | 1 |
 Dynamo Moscow |
1 | 1 |
| Benfica |
1 | 1 |
| Ferencváros |
1 | 1 |
| Ajax |
1 | 1 |
| Borussia Mönchengladbach |
1 | 1 |
| Marseille |
1 | 1 |
| Borussia Dortmund |
1 | 1 |
| Liverpool |
1 | 1 |
See also
- UEFA Club Footballer of the Year
- FIFA World Player of the Year
- European Golden Shoe
- World Soccer Player of the Year
- FIFPro World Player of the Year
Notes
A. a b Despite being born in Argentina, Alfredo di Stefano acquired Spanish citizenship in 1956, and went on to play for the Spanish national football team.7
B. ^ Despite being born in Argentina, Omar Sivori acquired Italian citizenship in 1961, and went on to play for the Italian national football team.8
C. ^ Johan Cruijff was signed by Barcelona from Ajax mid-way through 1973.9
D. ^ Ruud Gullit was signed by Milan from PSV Eindhoven mid-way through 1987.10
E. ^ George Weah was signed by Milan from Paris Saint-Germain mid-way through 1995.11
F. ^ Ronaldo was signed by Internazionale from Barcelona mid-way through 1997.12
G. ^ Luís Figo was signed by Real Madrid from Barcelona mid-way through 2000.13
H. ^ Ronaldo was signed by Real Madrid from Internazionale mid-way through 2002.14
I. ^ Fabio Cannavaro was signed by Real Madrid from Juventus mid-way through 2006.15
References
- General
- "European Footballer of the Year ("Ballon d'Or")". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (9 October 2008). Retrieved on 5 December 2008.
- Specific
- ^ a b "Ronaldo joins legendary list", BBC Sport, 1 December 2008, http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7743176.stm, retrieved on 4 December 2008
- ^ "Matthews wins first Golden Ball", BBC Sport, 1 December 2008, http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7750881.stm, retrieved on 4 December 2008
- ^ a b "The 1990s Ballon d'Or winners", BBC Sport, 1 December 2008, http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7750898.stm, retrieved on 4 December 2008
- ^ "Kaka wins 2007 award", BBC Sport, 1 December 2008, http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7750910.stm, retrieved on 4 December 2008
- ^ "Rankings by Wins". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation (9 October 2008). Retrieved on 4 December 2008.
- ^ Norrish, Mike (2 December 2008), "Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo wins Ballon d'Or and says best is yet to come", The Daily Telegraph (Telegraph Media Group), http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/cristianoronaldo/3541051/Manchester-Uniteds-Cristiano-Ronaldo-wins-Ballon-dOr-and-says-best-is-yet-to-come-Football.html, retrieved on 25 December 2008
- ^ "Europe dazzled by Di Stéfano". uefa.com. Union of European Football Associations (22 November 2004). Retrieved on 6 December 2008.
- ^ "Juve legend Sivori dies". uefa.com. Union of European Football Associations (18 February 2005). Retrieved on 6 December 2008.
- ^ "Johan Cruyff". Laureus. Retrieved on 6 December 2008.
- ^ "Sexy football to sexy golf, Gullit shows his class", The Scotsman (Johnston Press Digital Publishing), 4 October 2008, http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/sport/Sexy-football-to-sexy-golf.4558584.jp, retrieved on 6 December 2008
- ^ Harris, Nick (7 December 2004), "George Weah: favourite to win biggest battle - leading his country off the field", The Independent (Associated Press), http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/george-weah-favourite-to-win-biggest-battle--leading-his-country-off-the-field-679006.html, retrieved on 6 December 2008
- ^ "Fast facts on Ronaldo". Sports Illustrated. Reuters (31 August 2002). Retrieved on 6 December 2008.
- ^ Nash, Elizabeth (25 July 2000), "Figo defects to Real Madrid for record £37.2m", The Independent (Associated Press), http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/internationals/figo-defects-to-real-madrid-for-record-pound372m-709465.html, retrieved on 6 December 2008
- ^ "Real ropes Ronaldo". Sports Illustrated. Associated Press (31 August 2002). Retrieved on 6 December 2008.
- ^ "Real sign Cannavaro and Emerson", BBC Sport, 19 July 2006, http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/5169176.stm, retrieved on 6 December 2008
External links
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