'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Ballon d'Or award is the highest recognition for footballers across the globe. Since its initiation in 1956, the most coveted award has been given to the best footballer of the year by French News Magazine 'France Football'. It remains a dream come true for any footballer to win the award and reach the pinnacle of football.
Many all-time great footballers have had their hands on the prestigious prize in the last 65 years. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated the proceedings with their extraterrestrial caliber for the better part of the last decade. Every year the award has grown in reputation and added spice to the rivalry of the two modern greats.
The Ballon d'Or award was canceled in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The award ceremony is set to return this year and is already generating a lot of hype regarding the winner. With some major contenders, there's no predicting who will be awarded the best footballer of the year.
On that note, we dive down into the history of Ballon d'Or and present some interesting facts. Without further ado, let us take a look at five interesting facts about the award.
#5 Blackpool have had as many Ballon d'Or winners as Liverpool
It might be surprising to learn that an Englishman was the first ever recipient of the coveted Ballon d'Or award. The footballer was none other than Blackpool's Stanley Matthews, who defeated Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano by a narrow margin to lift the award.
Surprisingly, Liverpool had only one Ballon d'Or winner over the years just like Blackpool. Michael Owen won the award as a Liverpool player back in 2001. The sharpshooter helped the Reds win the League Cup, the FA Cup and the UEFA Cup with his exploits.
#4 George Weah was the first Non-European and only African Ballon d'Or winner
George Weah is not only the only African player to win the award, but he also remains the only one to make it onto the podium in football history. Initially, the Ballon d'Or was reserved for only European players but the rule was changed in 1995. The change in eligibility criteria meant that Weah was the only player who deserved to win the award that year.
Weah claimed the prize when he was with Milan but it was the result of his exploits at Paris Saint-Germain. The legendary African helped PSG win Ligue 1 and the French Cup, also ending the season as the top scorer in the UEFA Champions League.
He won the award in the 1994/95 season, scoring 17 goals in 52 games.
#3 Manchester United have the most Ballon d’Or winners among English clubs
Manchester United are fortunate to have witnessed four of their players winning the Ballon d'Or. Some of the greatest footballers have graced the English top flight with their presence. The Red Devils are the only English club to have the most Ballon d'Or winners in their history.
All the members of United's famed 'Holy Trinity' received the Ballon d'Or, which is a testament to their greatness. Dennis Law was the first Manchester United player to win the award in 1964. SIr Bobby Charlton claimed it two years later in 1966, followed by George Best in 1968.
Cristiano Ronaldo remains a serial winner of the coveted individual prize, winning his first Ballon d'Or in 2008 with Manchester United. Paul Scholes was one of the United legends who was nominated numerous times but unfortunately, never received the award.
#2 Jimmy Greaves is the only player to receive the Ballon d'Or nomination in a year where he played for three different clubs
Jimmy Greaves was one of the greats to have never won the Ballon d'Or award. A serial goalscorer at his peak, the Englishman had an incredible impact during his time at Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.
Greaves made his name as a rising star at Chelsea with his sensational goalscoring. The legendary forward scored goals for fun, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest goalscorers of all time. Greaves was signed by AC Milan in June 1961 due to his exploits with the Blues.
Greaves' spell at Milan was short-lived as he fell out with manager Nereo Rocco. Despite scoring some important goals for Milan, he was transfer listed and eventually returned to the English top flight with Tottenham in December 1961. Greaves then went on to become the record goalscorer for Spurs, racking up 266 goals.
Greaves was also nominated for the Ballon d'Or in 1961, making him the only player to receive a nomination in a year where he played for three different clubs.
#1 Only thrice the top 3 podium had players from the same country
Podium finishes at the Ballon d'Or awards ceremony is a tough ask for any footballer. It goes without saying that it is rare to see all three players belonging to the same country in the top 3 of Ballon d'Or. It has only happened on three different occasions that the three players at the podium were from the same country.
Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller and Gunter Netzer were the German players to occupy the top three spots in 1972. Again in 1981, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Paul Breitner and Bernd Schuster of Germany finished in the top three. Marco Van Basten, Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard were the three legends from the Netherlands who took the top 3 in 1988 Ballon d'Or.
