The Ballon d'Or is one of the best accolades a footballer can get their hands on. Invented in 1956, it was originally designed to celebrate the best player in Europe, before expanding in 1995 to include stars from any nation playing for a European club. Once a year, the award is handed out to the very best player over the previous 12 months at a special gala that welcomes the biggest names from all football past and present.
It is incredible enough to be bestowed the honour even if you have a chance of winning it annually. So, imagine how much of a privilege it would be to win an award that labels you as the undisputed number one of your generation. That is exactly what the , as Alfredo Di Stefano was crowned the best player of the previous 30 years ahead of Johan Cruyff and Michel Platini.
With the 40-year anniversary of this award around the corner, has decided to rank the top 10 most likely candidates to win the once in a lifetime prize for their performance over the last four decades. The 30 greatest footballers of all time have been named but who comes out on top; Messi, Ronaldo or Maradona? There were so many incredible names that just didn't make the cut. Previous Ballon d'Or winners such as Kaka and Luka Modric missed out by a hair, as did icons like Thierry Henry.
10th spot though, goes to the Netherlands' . The all-action midfielder is one of the , and was not long into his AC Milan career when the first Super Ballon d'Or was handed out. He had just won his own golden ball two years prior.
During his time at the San Siro, he won back-to-back Champions Leagues and three Serie A titles. He also won the European Championship with the Netherlands, although that was in 1988 so technically should not be included as part of the consideration. Career statistics Appearances 642 Goals 236 Assists 112 Key Achievements Serie A (x3), Champions League (x2), Eredivisie (x3), FA Cup (x1), European Championship (x1) Ballon d'Or 1987 Another legendary figure in the middle of the pitch, was one of the defining faces in a dominant era for Spanish football.
Whether it be the national team winning three major tournaments on the bounce, or Barcelona becoming unstoppable under Pep Guardiola, the future manager of the club was on hand to run the show every single time. Xavi's 767 appearances for the Catalan outfit puts him second of all time, the same place he ranks for assists. At times, the 44-year-old may have been overshadowed by other personnel next to him.
Those who truly understand the beautiful game understand exactly how immaculate this man's artistry was. Career statistics Appearances 980 Goals 121 Assists 240 Key Achievements La Liga (x8), Champions League (x4), Copa Del Rey (x3), World Cup (x1), European Championship (x2) Ballon d'Or N/A Partnering Xavi in the engine room for most of the famed Guardiola era at the Nou Camp was . Every honour that fell the way of his counterpart also belongs to the 40-year-old.
However, he has one or two other laurels that land him one spot higher. Firstly, Iniesta was recognised as the best player in Europe in 2012, overcoming some strong opposition in the process. His most famous moment, though, came in 2010 as he scored the goal to win La Roja their very first World Cup.
If his impact on Spanish football somehow wasn't written in the history books without that 116th minute strike, then that goal ensured that the playmaker would be seen as one of the . Career statistics Appearances 962 Goals 102 Assists 192 Key Achievements La Liga (x9), Champions League (x6), Copa Del Rey (x3), World Cup (x1), European Championship (x2) Ballon d'Or N/A These duos are as successful as they come In a parralel world where 's light didn't burn out so quickly, he could push towards the very top of his ranking. His peak was arguably more spectacular than anyone else's over the last 40 years, with the Brazilian making football look as easy and as enjoyable as ever with his samba style and infectious smile.
A Ballon d'Or, Champions League and World Cup winner, Ronaldinho struggled to ever rediscover the heights of his form after the 2006 World Cup. He was eventually shunted out of Barca to make room for a certain Argentinian to blossom. Though that decision ultimately paid dividends, there can be no denying the natural talent this genius had in abundance.
Career statistics Appearances 646 Goals 231 Assists 197 Key Achievements La Liga (x2), Champions League (x1), Serie A (x1), World Cup (x1), Copa America (x1) Ballon d'Or 2005 When you look up the word longevity in the dictionary, you should get a picture of dominating across Italian football. The legendary defender won an astonishing five European cups and seven Serie A titles as he led AC Milan through multiple generations of talent. Paolo Maldini is the only ever player to win a European Cup in three separate decades as a player.
Undoubtedly a fan favourite and one of, if not the greatest player to have ever stepped foot in defence, Maldini is the second most capped Italian outfield defender behind former Ballon d'Or winner Fabio Cannavaro. Career statistics Appearances 1027 Goals 40 Assists 48 Key Achievements Serie A (x7), Champions League (x5), Coppa Italia (x1) Ballon d'Or N/A Between the sticks, very few come close to touching the immortal . If things were fair and goalkeepers stood a greater chance of winning individual awards, perhaps the Italian stallion would be breaking even higher ground.
In terms of trophies, Buffon collected almost every single one available to him. The big one that evaded his safe hands was, of course, the Champions League. He remains among the biggest names , but don't let that distract from the fact that he set many groundbreaking records and is more than deserving of featuring alongside such esteemed company.
Staying at the top in any position is hard, let alone in a role that requires such reflexes and anticipation, yet Buffon defied the odds to stay on top for three decades. Career statistics Appearances 1115 Clean Sheets 506 Key Achievements Serie A (x10), Ligue 1 (x1), Coppa Italia (x6), World Cup (x1) Ballon d'Or N/A Buffon spent 28 years in professional football and played over 1100 games, but it's Man Utd who gave him his biggest regret Phenomenal. The nickname given to this man tells the entire story.
Never has a player of his build moved with such a combination of pace, power and grace. We are talking about . At his peak, R9 was a freak of nature who left defenders in both awe and fear anytime they stepped up against him.
Whilst domestic success was plentiful, his efforts in Brazil's 2002 World Cup victory will stand the test of time. Not only was it an incredible tournament for Ronaldo, but it was also the perfect redemption story from 1998's heartbreak. Injuries and weight issues took away years of what should've been an even more special career.
A story of cherishing what you have whilst you've got it. Career statistics Appearances 580 Goals 371 Assists 108 Key Achievements La Liga (x2), Uefa Cup (x1), World Cup (x2), Copa America (x1) Ballon d'Or 1997, 2002 France is a nation of footballing greats. So of what the two-time World Champions produced is no easy feat.
Unless your name is . Because then, it looks effortless. When players approached the great midfielder, one of three things happened.
They would bounce right of his incredibly strong frame. They would be turned inside out with an outstanding piece of skill. Or they would get headbutted in the World Cup final.
Sorry Marco Matterazzi. Weirdly though, the Matterazzi incident only added to the aura of such an audacious individual, who routinely did things that didn't seem possible. Having won everything there was to win in the game, it wouldn't be a surprise if Zidane had walked away with the Super Ballon d'Or in any other era.
Except for this one. Career statistics Appearances 797 Goals 156 Assists 171 Key Achievements Serie A (x2), La Liga (x1), Champions League (x1), World Cup (x1), European Championship (x1) Ballon d'Or 1998 From Zinedine Zidane to Gazza, these are the greatest midfielders of the 1990s. A champion across three of the biggest leagues in European football.
A leader of a nation's first ever taste of international glory. The greatest player in Real Madrid history. All things that can be used to describe the icon that is .
Yet that is somehow not enough to be number one. In a time when his greatest rival was seemingly the single greatest footballer to walk onto the pitch, the fact that Ronaldo was able to get the upper hand in so many different areas is a true testament to his own quality and mind-blowing dedication to the sport. He is the .
But, he won't be the hypothetical second recipient of the Super Ballon d'Or. Career statistics Appearances 1225 Goals 889 Assists 283 Key Achievements Premier League (x3), La Liga (x2), Serie A (x2), Champions League (x5), European Championship (x1) Ballon d'Or 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 Who else? Just list off 's accomplishments, and you have your answer as to why this genius would be the clear favourite for this award. The most golden balls in history with eight.
12 domestic league titles. Four Champions Leagues. Two Copa Americas.
One World Cup. There are still so many different accomplishments that haven't been named, the list goes on that long. There are no superlatives that can describe this freak of nature.
They have all been overused and worn out because moments of brilliance just come naturally to him. Should the super Ballon d'Or make its return, there would be no more suitable winner than Lionel Messi. Career statistics Appearances 1069 Goals 838 Assists 412 Key Achievements La Liga (x10), Ligue 1 (x2), Champions League (x4), World Cup (x1), Copa America (x2) Ballon d'Or 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023.
