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If there's one individual accolade every soccer player dreams of claiming, it's the Ballon d'Or. Launched in 1956, the award was created to honor the finest European player of the year, and it would take a full 40 years before players from other continents became eligible. (We'll hand you two answers for free—Pelé and Diego Maradona both claimed it!) For some, personal achievement carries even greater weight than any team or national triumph—such is the prestige surrounding the Ballon d'Or today. Think you can identify every player who has ever lifted this honor? See if you can name them all before the clock runs out.
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So, how did you get on? It's certainly easier to recall the Ballon d'Or winners of the 21st century, given the number of repeat recipients and the wealth of footage available on these legends. If you enjoyed the challenge and want another go, why not take a shot at one of the quizzes below?
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Ballon d'Or Greats From Over the Years
Alfredo Di Stéfano: The cornerstone of Real Madrid's five consecutive European Cup triumphs during the 1950s and 1960s, Di Stéfano is widely celebrated as the club's greatest player in its history. A prolific and relentless scorer, he was the driving force in the Spanish capital for more than a decade, and remains one of the most iconic names the sport has ever produced.
Johan Cruyff: 'Total Football' was the vision of the legendary Rinus Michels, but it would never have reached the heights it did without the sheer brilliance of Cruyff. His extraordinary talent earned him three Ballon d'Or victories in the early 1970s, a period during which Dutch soccer rose to become a dominant force on the world stage.
Michel Platini: Known by the nickname Le Roi ("The King"), Platini stood among the elite players of the 1970s and 1980s. Devoted to French football for the better part of a decade, his greatest success arrived when he stepped into the spotlight as a central figure at Juventus, where he claimed three consecutive Ballons d'Or from 1983 to 1985.
Marco van Basten: The man behind one of the most breathtaking goals ever scored (yes, that volley), Van Basten's career was heartbreakingly ended by injury at just 30 years old—his final appearance coming at 28. Yet he still managed to collect three Ballons d'Or, all earned after his move from Ajax to Milan in 1987.
Cristiano Ronaldo: Few sporting debates have burned as intensely—or lasted as long—as the question of whether Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi is the superior player. Vastly different in style yet both operating on a plane far above their peers, the two dominated the Ballon d'Or from 2008 to 2018, with Ronaldo emerging victorious on five occasions.
Lionel Messi: No player in the history of football has claimed the Ballon d'Or more times than Messi, making it entirely fitting that the overwhelming majority regard him as the greatest to ever play the game. Will his remarkable tally of eight wins ever be surpassed? That seems highly unlikely.