Ballon d’Or Winners Since 2000: A Roll Call of Football’s Elite
The Ballon d’Or, awarded annually by France Football, is football’s most prestigious individual prize. It honors the player who shaped the season with brilliance, consistency, and decisive performances. Since 2000, the award has charted the rise of global icons, miracle comebacks, and the era-defining rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Luís Figo (2000) won after his headline-making transfer from Barcelona to Real Madrid, where he delivered 12 goals and 10 assists to spearhead the Galácticos project.
Luís Figo
Michael Owen (2001) became the first Englishman to win since Kevin Keegan, scoring 31 goals and leading Liverpool to a historic treble — FA Cup, League Cup, and UEFA Cup.
Michael Owen
Ronaldo Nazário (2002) reminded the world of his genius by scoring eight goals in the World Cup, sealing Brazil’s fifth title, and completing a stunning comeback from injury.
Ronaldo Nazário
In 2003, Pavel Nedvěd’s relentless energy and creativity lifted Juventus to Serie A glory and a Champions League final, making him the unlikely winner.
Pavel Nedvěd
Andriy Shevchenko (2004), with 24 league goals for AC Milan, underlined his reputation as one of Europe’s deadliest strikers.
Andriy Shevchenko
Ronaldinho (2005) dazzled fans with skill, flair, and vision, inspiring Barcelona to La Liga and Champions League glory.
Ronaldinho
Zinedine Zidane (2006), in his farewell year, nearly dragged France to a World Cup win, combining elegance and authority despite his infamous red card in the final.
Zinedine Zidane
Fabio Cannavaro (2007) became one of the rare defenders to claim the award, captaining Italy to a World Cup triumph with rock-solid performances.
Fabio Cannavaro
Cristiano Ronaldo (2008) exploded with 42 goals for Manchester United, lifting the Premier League and Champions League.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Lionel Messi (2009) began his dynasty, scoring 38 goals and driving Barcelona’s treble under Pep Guardiola.
Lionel Messi
For nearly a decade, the Ballon d’Or belonged to two men.
Lionel Messi (2010, 2011, 2012) rewrote the game with his role as a “false nine,” culminating in 91 goals in 2012, a record-breaking year.
Lionel Messi
Cristiano Ronaldo (2013, 2014) struck back, his unmatched athleticism and goalscoring leading to Champions League triumphs.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Lionel Messi (2015) reclaimed the crown, guiding Barcelona’s MSN trio to another treble.
Lionel Messi
Cristiano Ronaldo (2016, 2017) went on to dominate again, pairing Champions League victories with Portugal’s Euro 2016 triumph.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Luka Modrić (2018) finally broke the cycle, his World Cup heroics with Croatia and Champions League brilliance making him the first midfielder in over a decade to win.
Luka Modrić
Lionel Messi (2019) claimed his sixth with 41 goals and continued magic at Barcelona.
Lionel Messi
The 2020 edition was canceled due to COVID-19 disruptions.
Lionel Messi (2021) secured a seventh, finally lifting a Copa América with Argentina, ending years of near-misses.
Karim Benzema (2022) stepped out of Ronaldo’s shadow, scoring 44 goals to power Real Madrid to La Liga and Champions League success.
Karim Benzema
Lionel Messi (2023) claimed an unprecedented eighth, crowned by Argentina’s World Cup triumph in Qatar, where he scored twice in the final.
Rodri (2024), Manchester City’s midfield anchor, won after guiding his team to the Premier League and leading Spain to Euro 2024 glory.
Rodri
Now in 2025, the award went to Ousmane Dembélé, who reinvented himself at PSG, scoring 20 Ligue 1 goals and playing a starring role in France’s resurgence. His win marked a generational shift, ending two decades dominated by Messi and Ronaldo, and opening the door for new names to rise.
Ousmane Dembélé
Since 2000, Messi (8) and Ronaldo (5) have redefined greatness, scoring over 1,700 goals between them and lifting dozens of trophies. Yet the triumphs of Modrić, Benzema, Rodri, and now Dembélé prove that the Ballon d’Or honors more than just goals — it celebrates leadership, vision, resilience, and the ability to inspire nations and clubs alike.
From Figo’s Galáctico move to Dembélé’s rebirth, the Ballon d’Or tells the story of football itself: ever-changing, unpredictable, and always shaped by moments of brilliance.