French Ballon D`or History

 French Ballon D`or History

The Ballon d'Or is an annual football award presented by France Football. It has been awarded since 1956, and it is considered one of the most prestigious individual awards in the sport. The award is given to the best-performing male footballer in the world over the previous calendar year.

Here is a brief history of the Ballon d'Or:

1956-1994: The Ballon d'Or was initially open to European players playing in European clubs. Stanley Matthews won the inaugural award in 1956.

1995-2009: The eligibility criteria were expanded to include players from all around the world, regardless of where they played. George Weah from Liberia was the first non-European winner in 1995.

2010-2015: FIFA and France Football merged their awards during this period to create the FIFA Ballon d'Or. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo dominated these years, with Messi winning several times.

2016-Present: The partnership between FIFA and France Football ended, and the original Ballon d'Or returned as a separate entity. Messi and Ronaldo continued to be dominant figures in the award, with each winning multiple times.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been the most prominent figures in Ballon d'Or history, with both players winning the award multiple times. Other notable winners include Johan Cruyff, Michel Platini, Marco van Basten, Zinedine Zidane, and more.