The Ballon d’Or is the most prestigious individual award in football, which mirrors the sport’s evolution over the past 15 years.
From the rivalry era featuring Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to the rise of new stars, THR News chronicles the changing face of the game.
Below is the list of every winners of the award since 2010:
2010 – 2012: Messi
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Lionel Messi cemented his place as one of the greatest players ever, winning three consecutive Ballon d’Or awards in 2010, 2011, and 2012 while dazzling the world with Barcelona’s tiki-taka football under Pep Guardiola.
2013 – 2014: Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo claimed back-to-back Ballons d’Or in 2013 and 2014, leading Real Madrid to European glory and becoming the face of the club’s “La Décima” Champions League triumph.
2015: Messi
Messi reclaimed the award in 2015 after guiding Barcelona to a treble — La Liga, Copa del Rey, and the Champions League — forming the legendary MSN attack with Neymar and Luis Suárez.
2016 – 2017: Ronaldo
Ronaldo again took charge, winning two straight Ballons d’Or after leading Real Madrid to back-to-back Champions League titles — a historic feat in the modern era.
2018: Luka Modrić
After a decade of Messi-Ronaldo dominance, Luka Modrić’s magical run to the World Cup final with Croatia and Champions League success with Real Madrid earned him the 2018 award.
2019 – 2021: Messi
Messi won again in 2019, and after the pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 award, he returned in 2021 to win his seventh Ballon d’Or following Argentina’s Copa América triumph.
2022: Karim Benzema
Karim Benzema capped off an extraordinary season with Real Madrid — winning La Liga and the Champions League — to claim the 2022 Ballon d’Or, his first.
2023: Messi
Fresh off winning the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, Messi made history by winning his eighth Ballon d’Or, extending his record and arguably sealing his GOAT status.
2024: Rodri
Spanish midfielder Rodri lifted the 2024 Ballon d’Or after orchestrating Manchester City’s treble-winning season, proving that midfielders can still command global recognition.
2025: Ousmane Dembélé
In 2025, Ousmane Dembélé became the newest name on the list, rewarded for his electric performances and key role in Paris Saint-Germain’s historic season.
