Manchester United's Legendary Ballon d'Or Champions Through the Ages

While Manchester United may no longer hold the commanding presence they enjoyed during Sir Alex Ferguson's legendary tenure, the Red Devils still stand as the sole English club with multiple Ballon d'Or recipients.

Their supremacy in English football across various eras and their status as one of the globe's most triumphant clubs has naturally been built upon the talents of some extraordinarily skilled players.

Although much of United's Ballon d'Or success occurred during the award's initial two decades, they have been represented by one of football's contemporary legends and most accomplished figures in the modern era.

Below are all the players who have claimed the Ballon d'Or while playing for Manchester United.

Every Player Who Has Won the Ballon d'Or with Man Utd

Manchester United didn't wait long to produce their first Ballon d'Or winner, with Scottish star Denis Law capturing the honor just eight years after Stanley Matthews of Blackpool received the inaugural award. He defeated Spanish pair Luis Suarez and Amancio for the prestigious prize.

Despite United failing to capture any trophies during the 1963–64 campaign, Law netted an incredible 46 goals across 42 appearances as the Red Devils secured second place behind Liverpool in the league standings.

In the following four years, United celebrated two additional Ballon d'Or champions. Bobby Charlton became the next Red Devil to earn this distinction, though it was largely due to his international exploits rather than his club performances—which were still quite remarkable. Charlton found the net three times for England during the 1966 World Cup as the Three Lions secured their maiden and sole world title.

While Charlton may have been an English icon, United's subsequent winner, George Best in 1968, became a worldwide sensation. The Northern Irish talent scored 32 goals in 53 matches during the 1967–68 season as the Red Devils became the inaugural English team to capture the European Cup with a 4-1 victory over Benfica.

Best found the back of the net in the final while Charlton contributed a double, with the latter placing second in the Ballon d'Or voting in both 1967 and 1968 following his initial victory.

Following their early success in the Ballon d'Or standings, United waited another four decades for their next champion. After securing another European triumph in 2008, this time under Sir Alex Ferguson's guidance, Cristiano Ronaldo—who scored in the final—claimed the first of his five Ballon d'Or awards.

The 2007/08 campaign was undoubtedly Ronaldo's finest season in United colors before his transfer to Real Madrid, where he collected his remaining four golden balls. He scored 42 times across all competitions as Ferguson's squad also claimed the Premier League title.

Man Utd Players Who Have Finished in the Ballon d'Or Top Three

Even Manchester United's former Ballon d'Or champions have had to settle for runner-up and third-place finishes.

Charlton secured second place twice while Best also claimed third position three years following his 1968 victory after another outstanding campaign. Ronaldo could only manage a runner-up finish the year before his first triumph.

However, even before United's three champions in the 1960s, the club came close to success in the Ballon d'Or's second year. Duncan Edwards, who tragically perished in the 1958 Munich air crash, finished third alongside Raymond Kopa the year before his untimely death.

The 1990s nearly witnessed United breaking their lengthy drought when Eric Cantona secured second place in 1993, just one year after joining Old Trafford. The charismatic Frenchman made an instant impression with a series of goals and dazzled with his audacious skills and flair.

Six years later, David Beckham, who had assumed Best's global celebrity status, also achieved second in the voting, though he couldn't surpass Brazil's magician Rivaldo. Despite helping lead the Red Devils to a remarkable treble, the blonde-haired Englishman failed to overcome Barcelona's creative midfielder.

Every Man Utd Player to Finish on the Ballon d'Or Podium