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England Player Honours -
France Football Ballon d'Or -
European Footballers of the Year

 

 

 
France Football European Footballers of the Year with Number of Votes
[England Players Highlighted]
Year

Winner

Second Place

Third Place

Fourth Place Fifth Place
1956 Stanley Matthews 47
Blackpool FC
England
Alfredo Di Stefano 44
Real Madrid CF
Spain
Raymond Kopa 33
Stade de Reims
France
Ferenc Puskas 32
Kispest Honved FC
Hungary
Lev Yashin 19
FC Dynamo Moscow
U.S.S.R.
1957 Alfredo Di Stefano 72
Real Madrid CF
Spain
Billy Wright 19
Wolverhampton Wanderers FC
England

Duncan Edwards 16 [=3rd]
Manchester United FC
England

Raymond Kopa 16 [=3rd]
Real Madrid CF
Spain
Laszlo Kubala 15
FC Barcelona
Spain
1958 Raymond Kopa 71
Real Madrid CF
France
Helmut Rahn 40
SC Rot-Wei� Essen
West Germany
Just Fontaine 23
Stade de Reims
France
Kurt Hamrin 15 [=4th]
AC Fiorentina
Sweden
John Charles 15 [=4th]
Juventus FC
Italy
1959 Alfredo Di Stefano 80
Real Madrid CF
Spain
Raymond Kopa 42
Stade de Reims
France
John Charles 24
Juventus FC
Wales
Luis Su�rez 22
FC Barcelona
Spain
Agne Simonsson 20
�rgryte IS
Sweden
1960 Luis Su�rez 54
FC Barcelona
Spain
Ferenc Puskas 37
Real Madrid CF
Spain
Uwe Seeler 33
Hamburger SV
West Germany
Alfredo Di Stefano 32
Real Madrid CF
Spain
Lev Yashin 28
FC Dynamo Moscow
U.S.S.R.
Year

Winner

Second Place

Third Place

Fourth Place Fifth Place
1961 Omar Enrique Sivori 46
Juventus FC
Spain
Luis Su�rez 40
Internazionale
Spain
Johnny Haynes 22
Fulham FC
England
Lev Yashin 21
FC Dynamo Moscow
U.S.S.R.
Ferenc Puskas 16
Real Madrid CF
Spain
1962 Josef Masopust 65
FC Dukla Prague
Czechoslovakia
Eus�bio 53
SL Benfica
Portugal
Karl-Heinz Schnellinger 33
1. FC K�ln
West Germany
Dragoslav Sekularek 26 
FK Crvena zvezda Beograd
Yugoslavia
Joseph Jurion 15
RSC Anderlecht
Belgium
1963 Lev Yashin 73
FC Dynamo Moscow
U.S.S.R.
Gianni Rivera 55
Milan AC
Italy
Jimmy Greaves 50
Tottenham Hotspur FC
England
Denis Law 45
Manchester United FC
Scotland
Eus�bio 19
SL Benfica
Portugal
1964 Denis Law 61 
Manchester United FC
Scotland
Luis Su�rez 43
Internazionale
Spain
Amaro Amancio 38
Real Madrid CF
Spain
Eus�bio 31
SL Benfica
Portugal
Paul van Himst 28
RSC Anderlecht
Belgium
1965 Eus�bio  67
SL Benfica
Portugal
Giacinto Facchetti 59
Internazionale
Italy
Luis Su�rez 45
Internazionale
Spain
Paul van Himst
RSC Anderlecht
Belgium
Bobby Charlton
Manchester United FC
England
Year

Winner

Second Place

Third Place

Fourth Place Fifth Place
1966 Bobby Charlton 81
Manchester United FC
England
Eus�bio 80
SL Benfica
Portugal
Franz Beckenbauer 59
FC Bayern M�nchen
West Germany
Bobby Moore 31
West Ham United FC
England
Fl�ri�n Albert 23
Ferencv�rosi TC
Hungary
1967 Fl�ri�n Albert 68
Ferencv�rosi TC
Hungary
Bobby Charlton 40
Manchester United FC
England
Jimmy Johnstone 39
Celtic FC
Scotland
Franz Beckenbauer 37
FC Bayern M�nchen
West Germany
Eus�bio 26
SL Benfica
Portugal
1968 George Best 61
Manchester United FC
Northern Ireland
Bobby Charlton 53
Manchester United FC
England
Dragan Dzajic 46
FK Crvena zvezda Beograd
Yugoslavia
Franz Beckenbauer 36
FC Bayern M�nchen
West Germany
Giacinto Facchetti 30
Internazionale
Italy
1969 Gianni Rivera 83
Milan AC
Italy
Luigi Riva 79
Cagliari Calcio SpA
Italy
Gerd M�ller 38
FC Bayern M�nchen
West Germany
Johan Cruijff 30 [=4th]
AFC Ajax
Netherlands
Ove Kindvall 30 [=4th]
Feyenoord Rotterdam
Sweden
1970 Gerd M�ller 77
FC Bayern M�nchen
West Germany
Bobby Moore 69
West Ham United FC
England
Luigi Riva 65
Cagliari Calcio SpA
Italy
Franz Beckenbauer 32
FC Bayern M�nchen
West Germany
Wolfgang Overath 29
1. FC K�ln
West Germany
Year

Winner

Second Place

Third Place

Fourth Place Fifth Place
1971 Johan Cruijff 116
AFC Ajax
Netherlands
Alessandro Mazzola 57
Internazionale
Italy
George Best 56
Manchester United FC
Northern Ireland
G�nter Netzer 30
Vfl Borussia
M�nchengladbach
West Germany
Franz Beckenbauer 27
FC Bayern M�nchen
West Germany
1972 Franz Beckenbauer 81
FC Bayern M�nchen
West Germany
Gerd M�ller 79
FC Bayern M�nchen
West Germany
G�nter Netzer 79
Vfl Borussia
M�nchengladbach
West Germany
Johan Cruijff 73
AFC Ajax
Netherlands
Pier Keizer 13
AFC Ajax
Netherlands
1973 Johan Cruijff 96
FC Barcelona
Netherlands
Dino Zoff 45
Juventus FC
Italy
Gerd M�ller 44
FC Bayern M�nchen
West Germany
Franz Beckenbauer 30
FC Bayern M�nchen
West Germany
Billy Bremner 22
Leeds United AFC
Scotland
1974 Johan Cruijff 116
FC Barcelona
Netherlands
Franz Beckenbauer 105
FC Bayern M�nchen
West Germany
Kazimierz Deyna 35
Legia Warszawa
Poland
Paul Breitner 32
Real Madrid CF
West Germany
Johan Neeskens 21
FC Barcelona
Netherlands
1975 Oleg Blokhin 122
FC Dynamo Kiev
U.S.S.R.
Franz Beckenbauer 42
FC Bayern M�nchen
West Germany
Johan Cruijff 27
FC Barcelona
Netherlands
Berti Vogts 25
Vfl Borussia
M�nchengladbach
West Germany
Sepp Maier 20
FC Bayern M�nchen AG
West Germany
Year

Winner

Second Place

Third Place

Fourth Place Fifth Place
1976 Franz Beckenbauer 91
FC Bayern M�nchen
West Germany
Rob Rensenbrink 75
RSC Anderlecht
Netherlands
Ivo Viktor 52
FC Dukla Prague
Czechoslovakia
Kevin Keegan 32
Liverpool FC
England
Michel Platini 19
AS Nancy-Lorraine
France
1977 Allan Simonsen 74
Vfl Borussia
M�nchengladbach
Denmark
Kevin Keegan 71
Hamburger SV
England
Michel Platini 70
AS Nancy-Lorraine
France
Roberto Bettega 39
Juventus FC
Italy
Johan Cruijff 23
FC Barcelona
Netherlands
1978 Kevin Keegan 87
Hamburger SV
England
Hans Krankl 81
FC Barcelona
Austria
Rob Rensenbrink 50
RSC Anderlecht
Netherlands
Roberto Bettega 28
Juventus FC
Italy
Paolo Rossi 23
AC Lanerossi Vicenza
Italy
1979 Kevin Keegan 118
Hamburger SV
England
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge 52
FC Bayern M�nchen
West Germany
Ruud Krol 41
AFC Ajax
Netherlands
Manfred Kaltz 27
Hamburger SV
West Germany
Michel Platini 23
AS Saint-�tienne
France
1980 Karl-Heinz Rummenigge 122
FC Bayern M�nchen
West Germany
Bernd Schuster 34
FC Barcelona
West Germany
Michel Platini 33
AS Saint-�tienne
France
Wilfried van Moer 27
KSK Beveren
Belgium
Jan Ceulemans 20
Club Brugge KV
Belgium
Year

Winner

Second Place

Third Place

Fourth Place Fifth Place
1981 Karl-Heinz Rummenigge 106
FC Bayern M�nchen
West Germany
Paul Breitner 64
FC Bayern M�nchen AG
West Germany
Bernd Schuster 39
FC Barcelona
West Germany
Michel Platini 36
AS Saint-�tienne
France
Oleg Blokhin 14
FC Dynamo Kiev
U.S.S.R.
1982 Paolo Rossi 115
Juventus FC
Italy
Alain Giresse 64
FC Girondins de Bordeaux
France
Zbigniew Boniek 53
Juventus FC
Poland
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge 51
FC Bayern M�nchen
West Germany
Bruno Conti 48
AS Roma
Italy
1983 Michel Platini 110
Juventus FC
France
Kenny Dalglish 26
Liverpool FC
Scotland
Allan Simonsen 25
Vejle BK
Denmark
Gordon Strachan 24
Aberdeen FC
Scotland
Felix Magath 20
Hamburger SV
West Germany
1984 Michel Platini 128
Juventus FC
France
Jean Tigana 57
FC Girondins de Bordeaux
France
Preben Elkj�r Larsen 48
Hellas-Verona FC
Denmark
Ian Rush 44
Liverpool FC
Wales
Fernando Chalana 18
FC Girondins de Bordeaux
Portugal
1985 Michel Platini 127
Juventus FC
France
Preben Elkj�r Larsen 71
Hellas-Verona FC
Denmark
Bernd Schuster 46
FC Barcelona
West Germany
Michael Laudrup 14
Juventus FC
Denmark
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge 13
FC Bayern M�nchen
West Germany
Year

Winner

Second Place

Third Place

Fourth Place Fifth Place
1986 Igor Belanov 84
FC Dynamo Kiev
U.S.S.R.
Gary Lineker 62
FC Barcelona
England
Emilio Butragueno 59
Real Madrid CF
Spain
Manuel Amoros 22 [=4th] AS Monaco
France
Preben Elkj�r Larsen 22 [=4th] Hellas-Verona FC Denmark
1987 Ruud Gullit 106
Milan AC
Netherlands
Paulo Futre 91
Club Atl�tico de Madrid
Portugal
Emilio Butragueno 61
Real Madrid CF
Spain
Gonzalez Michel 29
Real Madrid CF
Spain
Gary Lineker 13
FC Barcelona
England
1988 Marco van Basten 129
Milan AC
Netherlands
Ruud Gullit 88
Milan AC
Netherlands
Frank Rijkaard 45
Milan AC
Netherlands
Alexei Mikhailichenko 41
FC Dynamo Kiev
U.S.S.R.
Ronald Koeman 39
PSV Eindhoven
Netherlands
1989 Marco van Basten 119
Milan AC
Netherlands
Franco Baresi 80
Milan AC
Italy
Frank Rijkaard 43
Milan AC
Netherlands
Lothar Matth�us 24
Internazionale
West Germany
Peter Shilton 22
Derby County FC
England
1990 Lothar Matth�us 137
Internazionale
West Germany
Salvatore Schillaci 84
Juventus FC
Italy
Andreas Brehme 68
Internazionale
West Germany
Paul Gascoigne 43
Tottenham Hotspur FC
England
Franco Baresi 37
Milan AC
Italy
Year

Winner

Second Place

Third Place

Fourth Place Fifth Place
1991 Jean-Pierre Papin 141
Olympique de Marseille
France
Lothar Matth�us 42
[=2nd] Internazionale
Germany
Darko Pancev 42 [=2nd]
Crvena zvezda Beograd
Yugoslavia
Dejan Savicevic 42
[=2nd] Crvena zvezda Beograd
Yugoslavvia
Robert Prosinecki 34
Real Madrid CF
Yugoslavia
1992 Marco van Basten 98
Milan AC
Holland
Hristo Stoitchkov 80
FC Barcelona
Bulgaria
Dennis Bergkamp 53
AFC Ajax
Netherlands
Thomas H�ssler 42
AS Roma
Germany
Peter Schmeichel 41
Manchester United FC
Denmark
1993 Roberto Baggio 142
Juventus FC
Italy
Dennis Bergkamp 83
Internazionale
Netherlands
Eric Cantona 34
Manchester United FC
France
Alan Boksic 29
SS Lazio
Croatia
Michael Laudrup 27
FC Barcelona
Denmark
1994 Hristo Stoitchkov 210
FC Barcelona
Bulgaria
Roberto Baggio 136
Juventus FC
Italy
Paolo Maldini 109
Milan AC
Italy
Tomas Brolin 68 [=4th]
Parma AC
Italy
Gheorghe Hagi 68 [=4th]
FC Barcelona
Romania
1995 George Weah 144
Milan AC
Liberia
J�rgen Klinsmann 108
FC Bayern M�nchen AG
Germany
Jari Litmanen 67
AFC Ajax
Finland
Alessandro Del Piero 57
Juventus FC
Italy
Patrick Kluivert 47
AFC Ajax
Netherlands
Year

Winner

Second Place

Third Place

Fourth Place Fifth Place
1996 Matthias Sammer 144
BV Borussia Dortmund, Nordrhein-Westfalen
Germany
Ronaldo 141
FC Barcelona
Brazil
Alan Shearer 109
Newcastle United FC
England
Alessandro Del Piero 65
Juventus FC
Italy
J�rgen Klinsmann 60
FC Bayern M�nchen AG
Germany
1997 Ronaldo 222
Internazionale
Brazil
Predrag Mijatovic 72
Real Madrid CF
Yugoslavia
Zinedine Zidane 63
Juventus FC
France
Dennis Bergkamp 53
Arsenal FC
Netherlands
Roberto Carlos 47
Real Madrid CF
Brazil
1998 Zinedine Zidane 244
Juventus FC
France
Davor Suker 68
Real Madrid CF
Croatia
Ronaldo 66
Internazionale
Brazil
Michael Owen 51
Liverpool FC
England
Rivaldo 45
FC Barcelona
Brazil
1999 Rivaldo 219
FC Barcelona
Brazil
David Beckham 154
Manchester United FC
England
Andrei Shevchenko 64
Milan AC
Ukraine
Gabriel Batistuta 48
AC Fiorentina
Argentina
Luis Figo 38
FC Barcelona
Portugal
2000 Luis Figo 197
FC Barcelona
Portugal
Zinedine Zidane 181
Juventus FC
France
Andrei Shevchenko 85
Milan AC
Ukraine
Thierry Henry 51
Arsenal FC
France
Alessandro Nesta 39
[=5th] SS Lazio
Italy; and
Rivaldo 39 [=5th]
FC Barcelona
Brazil
Year

Winner

Second Place

Third Place

Fourth Place Fifth Place
2001 Michael Owen 176
Liverpool FC
England
Ra�l 140
Real Madrid CF
Spain
Oliver Kahn 114
FC Bayern M�nchen AG
Germany
David Beckham 102
Manchester United FC
England
Francesco Totti 57
AS Roma
Italy
2002 Ronaldo  171
Internazionale and
Real Madrid CF
Brazil
Roberto Carlos 145
Real  Madrid CF
Brazil
Oliver Kahn 114
FC Bayern M�nchen AG
Germany
Zinedine Zidane  78
Real Madrid CF
France
Michael Ballack  67
FC Bayern M�nchen AG
Germany
2003 Pavel Nedved 190
Juventus FC
Czech Republic
Thierry Henry 128
Arsenal FC
France
Paolo Maldini 123
Milan AC
Italy
Andre Shevchenko 67
Milan AC
Ukraine
Ruud van Nistelrooij 61
Manchester United FC
Netherlands
2004 Andre� Shevchenko 175
Milan AC
Ukraine
Deco 139
FC Barcelona
Spain
Ronaldinho 133
FC Barcelona
Brazil
Thierry Henry 80
Arsenal FC
France
Theodoris Zagorakis 44
FC Bologna
Greece
2005 Ronaldinho 225
FC Barcelona
Brazil
Frank Lampard 148
Chelsea FC
England
Steven Gerrard 142
Liverpool FC
England
Thierry Henry 41
Arsenal FC
France
Andre� Shevchenko 33
Milan AC
Ukraine
Year

Winner

Second Place

Third Place

Fourth Place Fifth Place
2006 Fabio Cannavaro 173
Real Madrid CF
Italy
Gianluigi Buffon 124
Juventus FC
Italy
Thierry Henry 121
Arsenal FC
France
Ronaldinho 73
FC Barcelona
Brazil
Zinedine Zidane 71
Real Madrid CF
France
2007 Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite
'Kak�' 444
AC Milan
Brazil
Cristiano Ronaldo 277
Manchester United FC
Portugal
Lionel Messi 255
FC Barcelona
Argentina
Didier Drogba 106
Chelsea FC
Ivory Coast
Andrea Pirlo 41
Milan AC
Italy
2008 Cristiano Ronaldo 446
Manchester United FC
Portugal
Lionel Messi 281
FC Barcelona
Argentina
Fernando Torres 179
Liverpool FC
Spain
Iker Casillas 133
Real Madrid CF
Spain
Xavier Hern�ndez 97
FC Barcelona
Spain

Notes

The European Player of the Year award, established in 1956 by France Football, the French football magazine, and known as the "Ballon d'Or" (Golden Ball), goes to the player deemed to have turned in the year's best overall performance in European football.  At first only European nationals playing in Europe qualified for the award, but since 1995 all footballers playing in Europe have been eligible, regardless of their birthplace.

The winner is chosen by vote of European football journalists, one from each of UEFA's member nations, which totalled 51 in 2001 and 2002 and 52 in 2003.  Voters select their top five players in order of preference, and points are assigned to each vote, 5 for a 1st place vote, 4 for a 2nd place vote and so on down to 1 point for a 5th place vote.   The voting points are listed after player names in the table above.  

As of 2008, the Ballon d'Or has been awarded 53 times.  It went to an English player on five occasions.  It has been won by German and Dutch players most often, seven times each.  French players won it six times, Italian and Brazilian players five times, Soviet, Portuguese and Spanish players three times each and Czech players twice.  The award has been won once each by Bulgarian, Danish, Hungarian, Liberian, Northern Irish, Scottish and Ukrainian players.

The nations with the most players placing in a medal position (1st, 2nd or 3rd) are Germany (including West Germany) 27, France 19, England and Italy 17, Netherlands 16 and Spain 12.   Brazilian players, eligible for the award only since 1995, already have gained eight medal positions.

Prior to 2007, the player had to be a member of a club based within UEFA's jurisdiction in order to qualify for selection; and until 1995 a player also had to be of European nationality to be eligible. The 2007 change in rules saw players from Qatar, the United States, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina named on the shortlist alongside those from European clubs.

Since October 2007, 96 football journalists from around the world have decided the winner from a shortlist of 50 compiled by France Football; prior to this 52 European journalists chose a winner, who needed to play for a European club.  Each voter chooses five players from the list of nominees, and awards them between one and five points. The winner is determined by the total number of points; players who finish second and third in the voting are awarded silver and bronze medals.

England Players in the Ballon d'Or Top Five
Player 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Total
Kevin Keegan 2 1 0 1 0 4
Bobby Charlton 1 2 0 0 1 4
Michael Owen 1 0 0 1 0 2
Stanley Matthews 1 0 0 0 0 1
Bobby Moore 0 1 0 1 0 2
David Beckham 0 1 0 1 0 2
Frank Lampard 0 1 0 0 0 1
Gary Lineker 0 1 0 0 1 2
Billy Wright 0 1 0 0 0 1
Steven Gerrard 0 0 1 0 0 1
Jimmy Greaves 0 0 1 0 0 1
Johnny Haynes 0 0 1 0 0 1
Alan Shearer 0 0 1 0 0 1
Duncan Edwards 0 0 0 1 0 1
Paul Gascoigne 0 0 0 1 0 1
Peter Shilton 0 0 0 0 1 1
Total 5 8 4 6 3 26

Notes

Four England players have won the award, one of them, Kevin Keegan, taking it twice.   England players have finished in the top five 24 times--1st five times, 2nd seven times, 3rd three times, 4th six times and 5th three times. 

Stanley Matthews, at age 41, won the award in 1956, the first year it was presented, and is the oldest player to have won  it.  Sentiment may have played a part as it was thought, incorrectly, that he was approaching the end of his career, but it was not the sole reason for giving it to him.  He was still terrorizing defences, including Brazil's, in 1956.

Keegan is one of only eight players who have won the Ballon d'Or more than once and one of only five who have won it in consecutive years.

Keegan and Bobby Charlton both placed in the top three on three occasions; they are among only 15 players who have placed in the top three at least three times.  Their three top three appearances were consecutive, and they are among only eight players who have made three consecutive top three appearances.  

Top five places have gone to 14 England players, seven of whom have placed in the top five on more than one occasion.  Kevin Keegan and Bobby Charlton have placed in the top five most often among England players, each four times; they are among only 13 players who have equalled or bettered that.  Moreover, their four top five appearances were consecutive, and they are among only seven players who have made four or more consecutive top five appearances.

Charlton placed in the top 10 six times; he is among only 11 players who have appeared in the top 10 six or more times.  Keegan, Bobby Moore and Bryan Robson each placed in the top 10 four times; they are among only 26 players who have appeared in the top 10 four or more times.  Charlton and Moore made four consecutive top 10 appearances; they are among eight players who have placed in the top 10 in four or more consecutive years.  

England have had two players among the top five in the voting on three occasions:  1957 (Billy Wright and Duncan Edwards, who was killed the next year at age 21 in the Munich air crash), 1966 (Bobby Charlton and Bobby Moore) and 2001 (Michael Owen and David Beckham).

Sources

Voting points are taken from the detailed history of the award in the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistical Foundation [RSSSF] Archive.

Further Information

A detailed analysis of the Ballon d'Or award, including statistical breakdowns by club, league and nationality compiled by Rob Moore and Karel Stokkermans, is posted in the RSSSF Archive.   

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PY/CG