BALLON D'OR
Ballon d’Or judge who forgot to list Vinicius Jr resigns
A member of the Ballon d’Or panel has admitted he forgot to vote for Vinicius Jr.
His error contributed to the loss by the more popular Vinicius who was edged by Manchester City’s Rodrigo Hernandez.
For his error, the journalist Juha Kanerva, who works for a publication in Finland, Ilta-Sanomat, has resigned.
Kanerva failed to include Vinicius in his top ten despite the winger enjoying a stellar year in which he helped Real Madrid win the UEFA Champions League.
According to UK publication, Daily Mail, a Real Madrid fan pointed out that Kanerva was one of only three journalists not to include Vinicius in his top ten.
He wrote: ‘This was my technical fault, for which I take responsibility. I am leaving my place as Ballon d’Or selector.’
According to France Football, the other two journalists that didn’t include Vinicius in their top ten were Bruno Porzio of El Salvador and Sheefeni Nikodemus from Namibia.
Journalists from 99 different countries submitted votes, with Syria abstaining from doing so.
As reported by Marca, Kanerva chose Rodri as his Ballon d’Or winner followed by Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham.
William Saliba, Ademola Lookman and Dani Carvajal were amongst the players that were included in his top ten.
Vinicius was absent from the ceremony in Paris after being informed that he wouldn’t win, with his Real Madrid team-mates also snubbing the event.
These were the votes given by the Finnish journalist for the 2024 Ballon d’Or:
- Rodrigo Hernandez: 15 points
- Erling Haaland: 12 points
- Jude Bellingham: 10 points
- Toni Kroos: 8 points
- Florian Wirtz: 7 points
- Declan Rice: 5 points
- Lamine Yamal: 4 points
- William Saliba: 3 points
- Ademola Lookman: 2 points
- Dani Carvajal: 1 point
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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