The Ballon d'Or is the most prestigious individual award in football that is bestowed on the best footballer of the year. While it takes a team to win a match or a tournament, plaudits are generally given to the players involved in the goalscoring department. As such only one goalkeeper and three defenders have managed to win the Ballon d'Or since its inception.The legendary Lee Yashin remains the only goalkeeper to win the award. Germany's Franz Beckenbauer is the only defender to win the award twice, first in 1972 and then in 1976. Matthias Sammer is another German defender who won the award in 1996. The last defender to win the Ballon d'Or was Italian centre-back Fabio Cannavaro, who won it in 2006.Many defenders have been nominated for the Ballon d'Or shortlistLionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated the Ballon d'Or ceremony in recent years. Before them, many star attackers like Kaka, Ronaldinho and Ronaldo won the prestigious award. But during this time there were also many defenders who featured on the Ballon d'Or shortlist. So who were among the best defenders to have featured on the list in the 21st century? Let's have a closer look:#5 Sergio RamosRamos is one of the most decorated defenders of all timeSergio Ramos might not be everyone's favorite footballer, but there's no denying the fact that the former Real Madrid captain is one of the best defenders of all-time.Ramos originally started at right-back during his time with Sevilla but became a centre-back after moving to Real Madrid. The Spanish defender's physicality and technicality makes him a solid defender who also has an eye for goal. Ramos' pace and ball-playing ability have also been praised often. However, he does have a habit of losing his temper and has collected 18 red cards during his time in Madrid.Nevertheless, Ramos' performances have seen him nominated for the Ballon d'Or six times so far. His best finish came in 2016 when he was placed sixth in the Ballon d'Or rankings.Ramos left Real Madrid for PSG this summer after spending 16 seasons with Los Blancos, winning several major accolades including 4 Champions League and 5 La Liga titles. At the Santiago Bernabeu, Ramos will always be remembered as arguably the best defender ever to play for Real Madrid.Sergio Ramos is leaving Real Madrid. What an incredible 16 years it has been👇⚽72 goals in 469 appearances💪1 opponent's shoulder dislocated✨1 own goal celebrated as if he'd scored himself🛑685 red cards🕶25,001 opposition forwards shithousedCaptain. Leader. Legend. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/FdddIBvP3p— Paddy Power (@paddypower) June 16, 2021#4 Paolo MaldiniMaldini is one of the best defenders of all-timeOne of the best defenders ever to grace the game, Paolo Maldini was an absolute rock at the back for AC Milan during his playing career.Maldini was a one-club man and spent his entire playing career at AC Milan. He made more than 900 appearances for the club since making his debut in 1984.The Italian was adept at both full-back and centre-back positions. As a full-back, his athleticism and stamina stood out from others, while as a centre-back, his tenacity and maturity played a vital role in AC Milan's success.Maldini's performances earned him various Ballon d'Or nominations throughout his career but unfortunately he was unable to win one. In the 21st century, Maldini was nominated for the Ballon d'Or four times, with his best placed finish coming in 2003 when he ranked third.📅 12 Years Ago Today:😔 Paolo Maldini played his final career game.🏟 901 Games🏆 25 Trophies🙌 @ACMilan legend. pic.twitter.com/uysKzLpzNp— SPORF (@Sporf) May 31, 2021The Italy international won 25 titles during his time with the Rossoneri, including five Champions League titles and seven Serie A titles. He is currently the technical director of AC Milan.