The Ballon d'Or award is an annual football award for the best player over the previous year. Here are some firsts ...

  • The FIRST time a men's Ballon d'Or award was handed out was in 1956.
  • The FIRST player from Eastern Europe to win the Ballon d'Or was Dukla Prague's Josef Masopust in 1962.
  • The FIRST goalkeeper (and so far only one) to win the award was Russian Lev Yashin in 1963.
  • The FIRST African national team player to win the award was George Weah from Liberia in 1995.
  • The FIRST South American winner was Brazilian Ronaldo in 1997.
  • The FIRST women's Ballon d'Or award was presented (called the Ballon d'Or Féminin) in 2018.
  • The FIRST player to win the award while playing for a team in MLS was Lionel Messi in 2023.
  • The FIRST time both the men's and women's Ballon d'Or were awarded to players from the same country was in 2024, with Rodri and Aitana Bonmatí coming from Spain.