De la Matthews la Nedved

Trofeul „Balonul de Aur“ a fost oferit prima data in anul 1956, primul care l-a obtinut fiind englezul Stanley Matthews, care evolua in Premier League, la FC Blackpool. De atunci, in fiecare an acest premiu este atribuit celui mai bun jucator care activeaza in Europa. Au fost si fotbalisti care au primit de trei ori acest trofeu, cum ar fi olandezii Johan Cruyff si Marco Van Basten sau francezul Michel Platini, din 1995 liberianul George Weah deschizind drumul spre acest titlu si jucatorilor din afara Europei, dar care evoluau la echipe de pe „batrinul continent“.

Iata care sint cistigatorii „Balonului de Aur“ pina in acest an: Stanley Matthews (FC Blackpool) – 1956, Alfredo Di Stefano (Real Madrid) – 1957, Raymond Kopa (Real Madrid) – 1958, Alfredo Di Stefano (Real Madrid) – 1959, Luis Suarez (Barcelona) – 1960, Sivori (Juventus) – 1961, Josef Masopust (Dukla Praga) – 1962, Lev Iasin (Dinamo Moscova) – 1963, Dennis Law (Manchester United) – 1964, Eusebio (Benfica Lisabona) – 1965, Bobby Charlton (Manchester United) – 1966, Florian Albert (Ferencvaros Budapesta) – 1967, George Best (Manchester United) – 1968, Gianni Rivera (AC Milan) – 1969, Gerd Müller (Bayern München) – 1970, Johan Cruyff (Ajax Amsterdam) – 1971, Franz Beckenbauer (Bayern München) – 1972, Johan Cruyff (Barcelona) – 1973, Johan Cruyff (Barcelona) – 1974, Oleg Blohin (Dinamo Kiev) – 1975, Franz Beckenbauer (Bayern München) – 1976, Allan Simonsen (Borussia Mönchengladbach) – 1977, Kevin Keegan (Hamburger SV) – 1978, Kevin Keegan (Hamburger SV) – 1979, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (Bayern München) – 1980, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (Bayern München) – 1981, Paolo Rossi (Juventus) – 1982, Michel Platini (Juventus) – 1983, Michel Platini (Juventus) – 1984, Michel Platini (Juventus) – 1985, Igor Belanov (Dinamo Kiev) – 1986, Ruud Gullit (PSV Eindhoven) – 1987, Marco Van Basten (AC Milan) – 1988, Marco Van Basten (AC Milan) – 1989, Lothar Matthaus (Inter) – 1990, Jean-Pierre Papin (Olimpique Marseille) – 1991, Marco Van Basten (Milan) – 1992, Roberto Baggio (Juventus) – 1993, Hristo Stoichkov (Barcelona) – 1994, George Weah (AC Milan) – 1995, Matthias Sammer (Borussia Dortmund) – 1996, Ronaldo (Barcelona / Inter) – 1997, Zinedine Zidane (Juventus) – 1998, Rivaldo (Barcelona) – 1999, Luis Figo (Barcelona / Real Madrid) – 2000, Michael Owen (Liverpool) – 2001, Ronaldo (Inter / Real Madrid) – 2002, Pavel Nedved (Juventus) – 2003.