Who Is the Youngest Player to Win the Ballon D’Or?
The record for youngest Ballon d’Or winner belongs to a Brazilian legend. But this Monday, it could fall into the hands of a Spanish teenager.
The Origins of the Ballon d’Or
The Ballon d’Or is widely regarded as the most prestigious individual award in football. Created in 1956 by Gabriel Hanot, then director of France Football, it was originally designed to honor the best European player competing in European clubs.
Over time, the award expanded its scope. From 1995, non-European players competing in European leagues were eligible, and by 2007, all restrictions disappeared—any player in the world could win it. Since 2024, France Football and UEFA jointly present the prize, cementing its historical significance.
The First Winners
The first recipient was Stanley Matthews, the English winger from Stoke City and Blackpool, who lifted the trophy in 1956 at the age of 41, also becoming the oldest winner in history. Decades later, Brazilian superstar Ronaldo Nazário broke barriers by becoming the first non-European to claim the prize in 1997.
That year, while dazzling with Barcelona and later destined to play for Real Madrid, Ronaldo won the award at just 21 years and 3 months, etching his name as the youngest Ballon d’Or winner ever.
A Record That Could Change
To this day, Ronaldo Nazário holds that record. However, everything could change on Monday, September 22, when the 2025 Ballon d’Or is awarded in Paris.
If Lamine Yamal, only 18 years old, manages to win, he will not only follow in Ronaldo’s footsteps but also surpass him, becoming the youngest player in history to lift the golden trophy. A milestone once thought unreachable, now within grasp of Barcelona’s teenage prodigy.
