![]() A Brief History Of European Player Of The Year Award The "Ballon d'or" (Golden Ball) was created in 1956 by the French football magazine France Football. It is known in English as the European Footballer of the Year award. The award is given annually to the player considered to have performed the best over the previous year. In order to qualify for selection, the player must have been playing for a club based within UEFAs jurisdiction. Up until 1995, a player also had to be of European nationality to be eligible. Voting for the award is undertaken by a group of European football journalists. In 2010, the FIFA World Player of the Year and France Football's Ballon d'Or award were merged and the world's best player has since been awarded the FIFA Ballon d'Or each year |
Previous Winners Of European Player Of The Year Award Year 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 Player Lionel Messi Cristiano Ronaldo Kaka Fabio Cannavaro Ronaldinho Shevchenko Pavel Nedved Ronaldo Michael Owen Luis Figo Rivaldo Zinedine Zidane Ronaldo Matthias Sammer George Weah Hristo Stoitchkov Roberto Baggio Marco Van Basten J-P Papin Lothar Matthaus Marco Van Basten Marco Van Basten Ruud Gullit Igor Belanov Michael Platini Michael Platini Michael Platini Paolo Rossi K-H Rumenigge K-H Rumenigge Kevin Keegan Kevin Keegan Allan Simonsen Franz Beckenbauer Oleg Blokhine Johan Cruyff Johan Cruyff Franz Beckenbauer Johan Cruyff Gerd Muller Gianni Rivera George Best Florian Albert Bobby Charlton Eusebio Denis Law Lev Yachine Josef Masopust Omar Sivora Luis Suarez Di Stefano Raymond Kopa Di Stefano Stanley Matthews Club Barcelona Manchester United AC Milan Real Madrid FC Barcelona AC Milan Juventus Real Madrid Liverpool Real Madrid Barcelona Juventus Inter Milan Borussia Dort AC Milan Barcelona Juventus AC Milan Marseille Inter Milan AC Milan AC Milan AC Milan Dynamo kiev Juventus Juventus Juventus Juventus Bayern Munich Bayern Munich Hamburg Hamburg Borussia Munch Bayern Munich Dynamo Kiev Barcelona Barcelona Bayern Munich Ajax Bayern Munich AC Milan Manchester Utd Ferencvaros Manchester Utd Benfica Lisbonne Manchester Utd Dynamo Moscow Dukla Prague Juventus Barcelona Real Madrid Real Madrid Real Madrid Blackpool Nationality Argentine Portugal Brazil Italy Brazil Ukraine Czech R Brazil England Portugal Brazil France Brazil Germany Liberia Bulgaria Italy Holland France Germany Holland Holland Holland Ukraine France France France Italy Germany Germany England England Denmark Germany URSS Holland Holland Germany Holland Germany Italy N. Ireland Hungary England Portugal Scotland URSS Czech Argentine Spain Spain France Spain England |