Ballon d’Or winners: Full list from 2005 to 2025

With the 2026 ceremony approaching, attention has turned to the players competing to succeed Ousmane Dembélé, who won the prestigious award in 2025.

But before the next Ballon d’Or winner is crowned, here is a look back at every player who has won the award over the past 20 years, from 2005 to 2025.

The period has been defined by one of the greatest individual rivalries in football history, with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo dominating the award for much of the past two decades.

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Between 2008 and 2017, the pair shared nine of the 10 Ballon d’Or trophies, with only Luka Modrić breaking their dominance in 2018.

The Ballon d’Or, first awarded by France Football in 1956, has evolved into the most prestigious individual prize in men’s football. The 2026 ceremony will add another chapter to its long and storied history.

A general view of the Ballon D'Or trophy at the 67th Ballon D'Or Ceremony at Theatre Du Chatelet on October 30, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) Year

Argentine international Lionel Messi is presented the Ballon d'Or 2023 during a ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France, Oct. 30, 2023. (EPA Photo) No discussion of the Ballon d’Or over the past 20 years is complete without mentioning Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Messi has won the award eight times, while Ronaldo has claimed it five times. Their extraordinary dominance reshaped the history of the prize and produced one of the most remarkable individual rivalries football has ever seen.

Messi won four consecutive Ballon d’Or awards between 2009 and 2012 before Ronaldo reclaimed the trophy in 2013 and 2014. Messi won again in 2015, while Ronaldo followed with back-to-back victories in 2016 and 2017.

Modrić ended their decade-long dominance in 2018 before Messi returned to the top in 2019.

The award was not presented in 2020 because of the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Messi subsequently won in 2021 and 2023, while Karim Benzema claimed the 2022 award after a spectacular season with Real Madrid.

Rodri became the 2024 winner after playing a key role in Manchester City’s Premier League success and Spain’s UEFA Euro 2024 triumph.

In 2025, Ousmane Dembélé was crowned the latest Ballon d’Or winner.

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The 2026 Ballon d’Or race is expected to be another fiercely contested battle, with several of the world’s best players hoping to add their names to the prestigious list.

As the football world waits for the announcement, the question remains: who will be crowned the 2026 Ballon d’Or winner?

For now, Ousmane Dembélé remains the reigning champion, but the next winner will soon take his place in the history of the award.