The Last 10 Ballon d’Or Winners Throughout the Years
From Ronaldo and Messi’s era to Rodri’s breakthrough, the last 10 years of Ballon d’Or winners chart a story of consistency, shocking upsets, and changing football dynamics.
The decade began and was defined by the unrelenting rivalry between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. In 2014, Ronaldo captured his second straight Ballon d’Or, handily beating Messi and Neuer with 37.66% of the vote.
Messi responded in 2015 with a fifth win, sharing the podium with both Ronaldo and Neymar, a reflection of the dominance of La Liga’s attacking talent at the time.
Ronaldo added further trophies in 2016 and 2017, pulling ahead of Messi in voting margins and pipping emerging contenders like Griezmann and Neymar.
These years cemented their status as football’s generational icons, setting benchmarks few will ever reach.
Surprises and New Faces: Modric, Benzema, and Rodri
The reign finally broke in 2018, with Luka Modric stunning the football world by becoming the first player outside the Ronaldo-Messi duopoly to win in more than a decade.
His award reflected Croatia’s historic World Cup final run and Real Madrid’s European dominance, revealing a growing appetite for fresh narratives in global football recognition.
Messi returned to the throne with his sixth and seventh wins in 2019 and 2021, while the Ballon d’Or was paused in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Karim Benzema’s crowning in 2022 signaled another shift, as neither Messi nor Ronaldo featured in the top three, and Sadio Mané and Kevin De Bruyne were honored for outstanding campaigns.
The Messi Closure and Rodri’s Stunning Rise
After leading Argentina to World Cup glory, Messi clinched his eighth Ballon d’Or in 2023, proving that international success remains a key factor in the award’s outcome.
However, 2024 delivered perhaps the most unexpected winner: Spanish midfielder Rodri. With standout performances at Euro 2024 pushing Spain to the title, Rodri edged out favorites like Vinicius Jr, whose domestic achievements were eclipsed by Rodri’s continental heroics.
The narrative suggests a new appreciation for influential midfield play and international achievements, setting the stage for a more open field in coming years.
This ten-year window chronicles football’s shifting landscape, where genius, surprise, and team triumphs mean every Ballon d’Or shortlist tells a chapter of the sport’s living history.
