New Delhi: The Ballon d’Or awards ceremony for the 2024 edition took place on Monday at the Theatre du Chatlet in Paris, France. Considered as one of the most prestigious individual awards in the sport of football, the Ballon d’Or award is given to the best male and female player of the year annually since 1956.
A total of 30 male players and 20 female players are shortlisted by France football (presenter of the awards). A player’s performances in the previous season are looked upon to decide the most deserving candidate for the Ballon d’Or award in either category.
Spain and Manchester City midfielder Rodri was awarded the Ballon d’Or Winner in 2024 after he won a fourth successive Premier League title with City and helped Spain lift the Euros in July, where he was named as the ‘Player of the Tournament’.
Spain and Barcelona women star Aitana Bonmati won the women’s Ballon d’Or Winner for the consecutive year. The 26-year-old midflielder led her club Barcelona to quadruple of titles and helped Spain to lift the Women’s Nations League.
Full list of Ballon d’Or awards Male footballers
| Year | Ballon d’Or Winner |
| 1956 | Stanley Matthes (England) |
| 1957 | Alfredo Di Stefano (Spain) |
| 1958 | Raymond Kopa (France) |
| 1959 | Alfredo Di Stefano (Spain) |
| 1960 | Luis Suarez (Spain) |
| 1961 | Omar Sivori (Italy) |
| 1962 | Josef Masopust (Czechoslovakia) |
| 1963 | Lev Yashin (Soviet Union) |
| 1964 | Denis Law (Scotland) |
| 1965 | Eusebio (Portugal) |
| 1966 | Bobby Charlton (England) |
| 1967 | Florian Albert (Hungary) |
| 1968 | George Best (Northern Ireland) |
| 1969 | Gianni Rivera (Italy) |
| 1970 | Gerd Mueller (West Germany) |
| 1971 | Johan Cruyff (Netherlands) |
| 1972 | Johan Cruyff (Netherlands) |
| 1973 | Johan Cruyff (Netherlands) |
| 1974 | Johan Cruyff (Netherlands) |
| 1975 | Oleg Blokhin (Soviet Union) |
| 1976 | Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany) |
| 1977 | Allan Simonsen (Denmark) |
| 1978 | Kevin Keegan (England) |
| 1979 | Kevin Keegan (England) |
| 1980 | Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (West Germany) |
| 1981 | Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (West Germany) |
| 1982 | Paolo Rossi (Italy) |
| 1983 | Michel Platini (France) |
| 1984 | Michel Platini (France) |
| 1985 | Michel Platini (France) |
| 1986 | Igor Belanov (Soviet Union) |
| 1987 | Ruud Gullit (Netherlands) |
| 1988 | Marco van Basten (Netherlands) |
| 1989 | Marco van Basten (Netherlands) |
| 1990 | Lothar Matthaus (Germany) |
| 1991 | Jean-Pierre Papin (France) |
| 1992 | Marco van Basten (Netherlands) |
| 1993 | Roberto Baggio (Italy) |
| 1994 | Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria) |
| 1995 | George Weah (Liberia) |
| 1996 | Matthias Sammer (Germany) |
| 1997 | Ronaldo (Brazil) |
| 1998 | Zinedine Zidane (France) |
| 1999 | Rivaldo (Brazil) |
| 2000 | Luis Figo (Portugal) |
| 2001 | Michael Owen (England) |
| 2002 | Ronaldo (Brazil) |
| 2003 | Pavel Nedved (Czech Republic) |
| 2004 | Andriy Shevchenko (Ukraine) |
| 2005 | Ronaldinho (Brazil) |
| 2006 | Fabio Cannavaro (Italy) |
| 2007 | Kaka (Brazil) |
| 2008 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) |
| 2009 | Lionel Messi (Argentina) |
| 2010 | Lionel Messi (Argentina) |
| 2011 | Lionel Messi (Argentina) |
| 2012 | Lionel Messi (Argentina) |
| 2013 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) |
| 2014 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) |
| 2015 | Lionel Messi (Argentina) |
| 2016 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) |
| 2017 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) |
| 2018 | Lionel Messi (Argentina) |
| 2019 | Lionel Messi (Argentina) |
| 2020 | Award Cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic |
| 2021 | Lionel Messi (Argentina) |
| 2022 | Karim Benzema (France) |
| 2023 | Lionel Messi (Argentina) |
| 2024 | Rodri (Spain) |
Full list of Ballon d’Or awards female footballers
| Year | Ballon d’Or Winner |
| 2018 | Ada Hegerberg |
| 2019 | Megan Rapinoe |
| 2020 | Award Cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic |
| 2021 | Alexia Putellas |
| 2022 | Alexia Putellas |
| 2023 | Aitana Bonmati |
| 2024 | Aitana Bonmati |
