BALLON D'OR
Williams makes history as first African based footballer to make Ballon d’Or nominees list
South Africa’s number one goalkeeper, Ronwen Williams has added to his growing list of achievements after it was announced on Wednesday, 04 September that the acrobatic shot-stopper has historically made the list of Goalkeeper of the Year nominees for world football’s most prestigious individual trophy, the Ballon d’Or Yashin Trophy.
Not only is this a first for Africa, but the Bafana Bafana skipper makes continental history as the first ever footballer playing in Africa to be nominated for the award.
As the only African based keeper, Williams made the list of 10 best shot-stoppers in the world which include current holder, Emiliano Martez (Argentina), Unai Simon (Spain) as well as Diogo Costa (Portugal) amongst others.
To date, African football icon George Weah remains the only African to be voted the best player in the world after winning the Ballon d’Or in 1995 ahead of Germany’s Jurgen Klinsmann and Finland’s Jari Litman.
Weah was also the first non-European to win the award.
Williams (32) has been on a meteoric rise since joining former African champions Mamelodi Sundowns from cross-town rivals and boyhood club, SuperSport United in July 2022.
The Bafana Bafana skipper was a pivotal cog in Mamelodi Sundowns’ back-to-back titles since joining the club. A feat that elevated his place in the national team to being the number one goalkeeper.
The Gqeberha-born goalkeeper literally grabbed the challenge of being Hugo Broos’ trusted keeper with both hands, putting up undoubtedly one of the standout performances at the CAF AFCON Cote d’Ivoire 2023, where he denied Cape Verde four times in a quarter-final penalty shootout.
Williams’ acrobatic and penalty saves also came to the fore in the third-place play-off against DR Congo where he saved two penalties to help his nation to a podium finish that was accompanied by him being voted the Goalkeeper of the Tournament at the continental showpiece.
The Sundowns keeper, who is currently out nursing a shoulder injury was also instrumental in Sundowns’ African Football League (AFL) triumph, playing a crucial role as the last line of defence in helping his side to their second continental trophy after their 2016 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League success.
The Ballon d’Or awards ceremony will take place on Monday, 28 October 2024.
Ballon d’Or Yashin Trophy Nominees:
Diogo Costa (Portugal), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy), Gregor Kobel (Switzerland), Andriy Lunin (Ukraine), Mike Maignan (France), Giorgi Mamarsdashvili (Georgia), Emiliano Martinez (Argentina), Unai Simon (Spain), Yann Sommer (Switzerland), Ronwen Williams (South Africa).
Amstel Malta has hailed Nigerian goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie after she made history in Paris by finishing fourth in the Women’s Yashin Trophy category at the 2025 Ballon d’Or Awards.
The 24-year-old shot-stopper became the first African goalkeeper to rank among the top five in the global honour, underlining her growing reputation as one of the world’s best.
Nnadozie, who recently joined Brighton & Hove Albion Women in the English Women’s Super League, has already impressed in Europe with a ‘Player of the Match’ debut and a string of commanding performances since.
Amstel Malta, a long-standing supporter of Nigerian women’s football, described her feat as a proud moment for the country and the continent.
The brand had earlier backed the Super Falcons as they clinched a record 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) title in Morocco last year.
“Chiamaka Nnadozie’s rise to global recognition at the Ballon d’Or is a proud moment for Nigeria and Africa,” said Sandra Amachree, Head of Communications – Marketing at Nigerian Breweries Plc. “Her success reflects the resilience, talent, and passion that Amstel Malta has always celebrated in the Super Falcons.
From standing with the team as they won a record 10th WAFCON title, to witnessing this global recognition, we remain committed to refreshing and empowering Nigerian football every step of the way.”
Nnadozie’s Ballon d’Or breakthrough follows recent global recognition for Super Eagles stars Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, further highlighting Nigeria’s growing presence on world football’s biggest stage.
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BY KUNLE SOLAJA
French forward Ousmane Dembélé etched his name in football history on Monday night as he was crowned the 2025 Ballon d’Or winner, becoming only the fourth player of African descent to claim the game’s most prestigious individual honour.
Dembélé, whose father is Malian and mother has Mauritanian-Senegalese roots, joins a select group of legends with African heritage: Mozambique-born Portuguese icon Eusébio, Liberian great George Weah, and France’s Karim Benzema, whose father hails from Algeria.
The PSG player’s dazzling season—marked by decisive goals, creativity, and consistency—earned him the accolade ahead of other global stars, underscoring his long-awaited rise to the top of world football.
His victory continues a growing recognition of African football heritage in the global game. Eusébio won the award in 1965, Weah became the first and only African-based player to win it in 1995, while Benzema claimed the prize in 2022. Now, three years later, Dembélé has followed in their footsteps, making history for both France and Africa.
The Ballon d’Or, organised by France Football, has been awarded annually since 1956 to the best-performing footballer in the world.
Players of African Descent Who Have Won the Ballon d’Or
Player Country of Descent / Origin Nation Represented Year Won Eusébio Mozambique (African-born) Portugal 1965 George Weah Liberia Liberia 1995 Karim Benzema Algeria (father’s heritage) France 2022 Ousmane Dembélé Mali (father), Mauritania/Senegal (mother) France 2025
Ballon d’Or Winners Since 1956
- 1956 – Stanley Matthews (England)
- 1957 – Alfredo Di Stefano (Spain)
- 1958 – Raymond Kopa (France)
- 1959 – Alfredo Di Stefano (Spain)
- 1960 – Luis Suarez (Spain)
- 1961 – Omar Sivori (Italy)
- 1962 – Josef Masopust (Czechoslovakia)
- 1963 – Lev Yashin (Soviet Union)
- 1964 – Denis Law (Scotland)
- 1965 – Eusébio (Portugal)
- 1966 – Bobby Charlton (England)
- 1967 – Florian Albert (Hungary)
- 1968 – George Best (Northern Ireland)
- 1969 – Gianni Rivera (Italy)
- 1970 – Gerd Müller (West Germany)
- 1971 – Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)
- 1972 – Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany)
- 1973 – Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)
- 1974 – Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)
- 1975 – Oleg Blokhin (Soviet Union)
- 1976 – Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany)
- 1977 – Allan Simonsen (Denmark)
- 1978 – Kevin Keegan (England)
- 1979 – Kevin Keegan (England)
- 1980 – Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (West Germany)
- 1981 – Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (West Germany)
- 1982 – Paolo Rossi (Italy)
- 1983 – Michel Platini (France)
- 1984 – Michel Platini (France)
- 1985 – Michel Platini (France)
- 1986 – Igor Belanov (Soviet Union)
- 1987 – Ruud Gullit (Netherlands)
- 1988 – Marco van Basten (Netherlands)
- 1989 – Marco van Basten (Netherlands)
- 1990 – Lothar Matthäus (Germany)
- 1991 – Jean-Pierre Papin (France)
- 1992 – Marco van Basten (Netherlands)
- 1993 – Roberto Baggio (Italy)
- 1994 – Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria)
- 1995 – George Weah (Liberia)
- 1996 – Matthias Sammer (Germany)
- 1997 – Ronaldo (Brazil)
- 1998 – Zinedine Zidane (France)
- 1999 – Rivaldo (Brazil)
- 2000 – Luís Figo (Portugal)
- 2001 – Michael Owen (England)
- 2002 – Ronaldo (Brazil)
- 2003 – Pavel Nedvěd (Czech Republic)
- 2004 – Andriy Shevchenko (Ukraine)
- 2005 – Ronaldinho (Brazil)
- 2006 – Fabio Cannavaro (Italy)
- 2007 – Kaká (Brazil)
- 2008 – Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
- 2009 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)
- 2010 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)*
- 2011 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)*
- 2012 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)*
- 2013 – Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)*
- 2014 – Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)*
- 2015 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)*
- 2016 – Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
- 2017 – Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
- 2018 – Luka Modrić (Croatia)
- 2019 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)
- 2020 – Cancelled (COVID-19 pandemic)
- 2021 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)
- 2022 – Karim Benzema (France)
- 2023 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)
- 2024 – Rodri (Spain)
- 2025 – Ousmane Dembélé (France)
*Between 2010 and 2015, the Ballon d’Or was merged with FIFA’s World Player of the Year award. Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
The history of Ballon d’Or winners of African descent highlights two distinct categories:
- African-born winners: Eusébio and George Weah were both born and raised on the continent. Eusébio grew up in Mozambique before his rise with Portugal, while Weah’s entire football journey was nurtured in Liberia, making him the only Africa-based player to win the award.
- European-born with African roots: Karim Benzema and Ousmane Dembélé were born in France to African parents. Their victories represent the strength of the African diaspora in shaping European football success stories.
Together, they underscore both the direct impact of Africa in producing world-class talent and the enduring influence of African heritage in global football, whether through migration, colonial ties, or diaspora communities.
Ballon d’Or Winners Since 1956
- 1956 – Stanley Matthews (England)
- 1957 – Alfredo Di Stefano (Spain)
- 1958 – Raymond Kopa (France)
- 1959 – Alfredo Di Stefano (Spain)
- 1960 – Luis Suarez (Spain)
- 1961 – Omar Sivori (Italy)
- 1962 – Josef Masopust (Czechoslovakia)
- 1963 – Lev Yashin (Soviet Union)
- 1964 – Denis Law (Scotland)
- 1965 – Eusébio (Portugal)
- 1966 – Bobby Charlton (England)
- 1967 – Florian Albert (Hungary)
- 1968 – George Best (Northern Ireland)
- 1969 – Gianni Rivera (Italy)
- 1970 – Gerd Müller (West Germany)
- 1971 – Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)
- 1972 – Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany)
- 1973 – Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)
- 1974 – Johan Cruyff (Netherlands)
- 1975 – Oleg Blokhin (Soviet Union)
- 1976 – Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany)
- 1977 – Allan Simonsen (Denmark)
- 1978 – Kevin Keegan (England)
- 1979 – Kevin Keegan (England)
- 1980 – Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (West Germany)
- 1981 – Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (West Germany)
- 1982 – Paolo Rossi (Italy)
- 1983 – Michel Platini (France)
- 1984 – Michel Platini (France)
- 1985 – Michel Platini (France)
- 1986 – Igor Belanov (Soviet Union)
- 1987 – Ruud Gullit (Netherlands)
- 1988 – Marco van Basten (Netherlands)
- 1989 – Marco van Basten (Netherlands)
- 1990 – Lothar Matthäus (Germany)
- 1991 – Jean-Pierre Papin (France)
- 1992 – Marco van Basten (Netherlands)
- 1993 – Roberto Baggio (Italy)
- 1994 – Hristo Stoichkov (Bulgaria)
- 1995 – George Weah (Liberia)
- 1996 – Matthias Sammer (Germany)
- 1997 – Ronaldo (Brazil)
- 1998 – Zinedine Zidane (France)
- 1999 – Rivaldo (Brazil)
- 2000 – Luís Figo (Portugal)
- 2001 – Michael Owen (England)
- 2002 – Ronaldo (Brazil)
- 2003 – Pavel Nedvěd (Czech Republic)
- 2004 – Andriy Shevchenko (Ukraine)
- 2005 – Ronaldinho (Brazil)
- 2006 – Fabio Cannavaro (Italy)
- 2007 – Kaká (Brazil)
- 2008 – Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
- 2009 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)
- 2010 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)*
- 2011 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)*
- 2012 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)*
- 2013 – Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)*
- 2014 – Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)*
- 2015 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)*
- 2016 – Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
- 2017 – Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
- 2018 – Luka Modrić (Croatia)
- 2019 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)
- 2020 – Cancelled (COVID-19 pandemic)
- 2021 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)
- 2022 – Karim Benzema (France)
- 2023 – Lionel Messi (Argentina)
- 2024 – Rodri (Spain)
- 2025 – Ousmane Dembélé (France)
*Between 2010 and 2015, the Ballon d’Or was merged with FIFA’s World Player of the Year award.
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