1956: Stanley Matthews (England, Blackpool)

1957: Alfredo Di Stefano (Argentina, Real Madrid)

1958: Raymond Kopa (France, Real Madrid)

1959: Alfredo Di Stefano (Argentina, Real Madrid)

1960: Luis Suarez (Spain, Barcelona)

1961: Omar Sivori (Argentina, Juventus)

1962: Josef Masopust (Czechoslovakia, Dukla Prague)

1963: Lev Yashin (Soviet Union, Dynamo Moscow)

1964: Denis Law (Scotland, Manchester United)

1965: Eusebio (Portugal, Benfica)

1966: Bobby Charlton (England, Manchester United)

1967: Florian Albert (Hungary, Ferencváros)

1968: George Best (Ireland, Manchester United)

1969:  Gianni Rivera (Italy, AC Milan)

1970: Gerd Muller (West Germany, Bayern Munich)

1971: Johan Cruyff (Netherland, Ajax)

1972: Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany, Bayern Munich)

1973: Johan Cruyff (Netherland, Barcelona)

1974: Johan Cruyff (Netherland, Barcelona)

1975: Oleg Blokhin (Soviet Union, Dynamo Kiev)

1976: Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany, Bayern Munich)

1977: Allan Simonsen (Denmark, Borussia Monchengladbach)

1978:  Kevin Keegan (England, Hamburg)

1979:  Kevin Keegan (England, Hamburg)

1980: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (West Germany, Bayern Munich)

1981: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (West Germany, Bayern Munich)

1982: Paolo Rossi (Italy, Juventus)

1983: Michel Platini (France, Juventus)

1984: Michel Platini (France, Juventus)

1985: Michel Platini (France, Juventus)

1986: Igor Belanov (Soviet Union, Dynamo Kyiv)

1987: Ruud Gullit (Netherland, AC Milan)

1988: Marco van Basten (Netherland, AC Milan)

1989: Marco van Basten (Netherland, AC Milan)

1990: Lothar Matthaus (Germany, Inter Milan)

1991: Jean-Pierre Papin (France, Marseille)

1992: Marco van Basten (Netherland, AC Milan)

1993: Roberto Baggio (Italy, Juventus)

1994: Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria, Barcelona)

1995: George Weah (Liberia, AC Milan)

1996: Matthias Sammer (Germany, Borussia Dortmund)

1997: Ronaldo (Brazil, Inter Milan)

1998: Zinedine Zidane (France, Juventus)

1999: Rivaldo (Brazil, Barcelona)

2000: Luis Figo (Portugal, Real Madrid)

2001: Michael Owen (England, Liverpool)

2002: Ronaldo (Brazil Real Madrid)

2003: Pavel Nedved (Czech Republic, Juventus)

2004: Andriy Shevchenko (Ukraine, AC Milan)

2005: Ronaldinho (Brazil Barcelona)

2006: Fabio Cannavaro (Italy, Real Madrid)

2007:Kaka (Brazil, AC Milan)

2008: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Manchester United)

2009: Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona)

FIFA Ballon d'Or

2010: Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona)

2011: Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona)

2012:Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona)

2013: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Real Madrid)

2014: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Real Madrid)

Note: In 2010, France Football's Ballon d’Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year were merged, with the world’s best player awarded the FIFA Ballon d’Or.