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Every Player to Finish Top 3 in Ballon d'Or History

Can you name all the superstars to finish in the Top 3 of the Ballon d'Or rankings since the award's inception? The Ballon d'Or is the award given to the adjudged best player in the world during the time period stated. Try the other Ballon d'Or themed quizzes in this series here!
Data collected via Wikipedia.
Between the years 1956-1995 the award was only available to European players so was widely known as the European Football of the Year (hence why South American players such as Pele and Maradona don't appear). This was changed in 1995 to include all players currently playing in Europe and was again expanded in 2007 to include any player from around the globe.
From 1956-2006 the award was specifically voted for by football journalists. In 2008, coaches and captains of the National Teams were given a chance to vote but this was limited in 2022 to include only countries within the Top 100 of the FIFA Rankings.
The points total is decided based on the votes whereby each voter had to pick their rankings and each position they picked were assigned points. The same is true when the points were broadcast as percentages instead. If players are tied on the same points this is represented in the table.
Quiz by WatsonWonder
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Last updated: March 23, 2023
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First submittedMarch 19, 2023
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Year
Rank
Player
Team
Nationality
Points
Ballon d'Or (1956-2009)
1956
1st
Stanley Matthews
Blackpool
English
47
2nd
Alfredo Di Stéfano
Real Madrid
Spanish
44
3rd
Raymond Kopa
Real Madrid
French
33
 
 
 
 
 
 
1957
1st
Alfredo Di Stéfano
Real Madrid
Spanish
72
2nd
Billy Wright
Wolverhampton Wanderers
English
19
3rd
Duncan Edwards
Manchester United
English
16
Raymond Kopa
Real Madrid
French
 
 
 
 
 
 
1958
1st
Raymond Kopa
Real Madrid
French
71
2nd
Helmut Rahn
Rot-Weiss Essen
German
40
3rd
Just Fontaine
Reims
French
23
 
 
 
 
 
 
1959
1st
Alfredo Di Stéfano
Real Madrid
Spanish
80
2nd
Raymond Kopa
Reims
French
42
3rd
John Charles
Juventus
Welsh
24
 
 
 
 
 
 
1960
1st
Luis Suárez
Barcelona
Spanish
54
2nd
Ferenc Puskás
Real Madrid
Hungarian
37
3rd
Uwe Seeler
Hamburger SV
German
33
 
 
 
 
 
 
1961
1st
Omar Sívori
Juventus
Italian
46
2nd
Luis Suárez
Inter Milan
Spanish
40
3rd
Johnny Haynes
Fulham
English
22
 
 
 
 
 
 
1962
1st
Josef Masopust
Dukla Prague
Czech
65
2nd
Eusébio
Benfica
Portuguese
53
3rd
Karl-Heinz Schnellinger
1. FC Köln
German
33
 
 
 
 
 
 
1963
1st
Lev Yashin
Dynamo Moscow
Soviet
73
2nd
Gianni Rivera
AC Milan
Italian
55
3rd
Jimmy Greaves
Tottenham Hotspur
English
50
 
 
 
 
 
 
1964
1st
Denis Law
Manchester United
Scottish
61
2nd
Luis Suárez
Inter Milan
Spanish
43
3rd
Amancio
Real Madrid
Spanish
38
 
 
 
 
 
 
1965
1st
Eusébio
Benfica
Portuguese
67
2nd
Giacinto Facchetti
Inter Milan
Italian
59
3rd
Luis Suárez
Inter Milan
Spanish
45
 
 
 
 
 
 
1966
1st
Bobby Charlton
Manchester United
English
81
2nd
Eusébio
Benfica
Portuguese
80
3rd
Franz Beckenbauer
Bayern Munich
German
59
 
 
 
 
 
 
1967
1st
Flórián Albert
Ferencváros
Hungarian
68
2nd
Bobby Charlton
Manchester United
English
40
3rd
Jimmy Johnstone
Celtic
Scottish
39
 
 
 
 
 
 
1968
1st
George Best
Manchester United
Northern Irish
61
2nd
Bobby Charlton
Manchester United
English
53
3rd
Dragan Džajić
Red Star Belgrade
Yugoslavian
46
 
 
 
 
 
 
1969
1st
Gianni Rivera
AC Milan
Italian
83
2nd
Gigi Riva
Cagliari
Italian
79
3rd
Gerd Müller
Bayern Munich
German
38
 
 
 
 
 
 
1970
1st
Gerd Müller
Bayern Munich
German
77
2nd
Bobby Moore
West Ham United
English
70
3rd
Gigi Riva
Cagliari
Italian
65
 
 
 
 
 
 
1971
1st
Johan Cruyff
Ajax
Dutch
116
2nd
Sandro Mazzola
Inter Milan
Italian
57
3rd
George Best
Manchester United
Northern Irish
56
 
 
 
 
 
 
1972
1st
Franz Beckenbauer
Bayern Munich
German
81
2nd
Gerd Müller
Bayern Munich
German
79
Günter Netzer
Borussia Mönchengladbach
German
 
 
 
 
 
 
1973
1st
Johan Cruyff
Barcelona
Dutch
96
2nd
Dino Zoff
Juventus
Italian
47
3rd
Gerd Müller
Bayern Munich
German
44
 
 
 
 
 
 
1974
1st
Johan Cruyff
Barcelona
Dutch
116
2nd
Franz Beckenbauer
Bayern Munich
German
105
3rd
Kazimierz Deyna
Legia Warsaw
Polish
35
 
 
 
 
 
 
1975
1st
Oleg Blokhin
Dynamo Kyiv
Soviet
122
2nd
Franz Beckenbauer
Bayern Munich
German
42
3rd
Johan Cruyff
Barcelona
Dutch
27
 
 
 
 
 
 
1976
1st
Franz Beckenbauer
Bayern Munich
German
91
2nd
Rob Rensenbrink
Anderlecht
Dutch
75
3rd
Ivo Viktor
Dukla Prague
Czech
52
 
 
 
 
 
 
1977
1st
Allan Simonsen
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Danish
74
2nd
Kevin Keegan
Hamburger SV
English
71
3rd
Michel Platini
Nancy
French
70
 
 
 
 
 
 
1978
1st
Kevin Keegan
Hamburger SV
English
87
2nd
Hans Krankl
Barcelona
Austrian
81
3rd
Rob Rensenbrink
Anderlecht
Dutch
50
 
 
 
 
 
 
1979
1st
Kevin Keegan
Hamburger SV
English
118
2nd
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
Bayern Munich
German
52
3rd
Ruud Krol
Ajax
Dutch
41
 
 
 
 
 
 
1980
1st
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
Bayern Munich
German
122
2nd
Bernd Schuster
Barcelona
German
34
3rd
Michel Platini
Saint-Étienne
French
33
 
 
 
 
 
 
1981
1st
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
Bayern Munich
German
106
2nd
Paul Breitner
Bayern Munich
German
64
3rd
Bernd Schuster
Barcelona
German
39
 
 
 
 
 
 
1982
1st
Paolo Rossi
Juventus
Italian
115
2nd
Alain Giresse
Girondins de Bordeaux
French
64
3rd
Zbigniew Boniek
Juventus
Polish
39
 
 
 
 
 
 
1983
1st
Michel Platini
Juventus
French
110
2nd
Kenny Dalglish
Liverpool
Scottish
26
3rd
Allan Simonsen
Vejle BK
Danish
25
 
 
 
 
 
 
1984
1st
Michel Platini
Juventus
French
110
2nd
Jean Tigana
Girondins de Bordeaux
French
57
3rd
Preben Elkjær
Hellas Verona
Danish
48
 
 
 
 
 
 
1985
1st
Michel Platini
Juventus
French
127
2nd
Preben Elkjær
Hellas Verona
Danish
71
3rd
Bernd Schuster
Barcelona
German
46
 
 
 
 
 
 
1986
1st
Igor Belanov
Dynamo Kyiv
Soviet
84
2nd
Gary Lineker
Barcelona
English
62
3rd
Emilio Butragueño
Real Madrid
Spanish
59
 
 
 
 
 
 
1987
1st
Ruud Gullit
AC Milan
Dutch
106
2nd
Paulo Futre
Atlético Madrid
Portuguese
91
3rd
Emilio Butragueño
Real Madrid
Spanish
61
 
 
 
 
 
 
1988
1st
Marco van Basten
AC Milan
Dutch
129
2nd
Ruud Gullit
AC Milan
Dutch
88
3rd
Frank Rijkaard
AC Milan
Dutch
45
 
 
 
 
 
 
1989
1st
Marco van Basten
AC Milan
Dutch
129
2nd
Franco Baresi
AC Milan
Italian
80
3rd
Frank Rijkaard
AC Milan
Dutch
43
 
 
 
 
 
 
1990
1st
Lothar Matthäus
Inter Milan
German
137
2nd
Salvatore Schillaci
Juventus
Italian
84
3rd
Andreas Brehme
Inter Milan
German
68
 
 
 
 
 
 
1991
1st
Jean-Pierre Papin
Marseille
French
141
2nd
Dejan Savićević
Red Star Belgrade
Yugoslavian
42
Darko Pančev
Red Star Belgrade
Yugoslavian
Lothar Matthäus
Inter Milan
German
 
 
 
 
 
 
1992
1st
Marco van Basten
AC Milan
Dutch
98
2nd
Hristo Stoichkov
Barcelona
Bulgarian
80
3rd
Dennis Bergkamp
Ajax
Dutch
53
 
 
 
 
 
 
1993
1st
Roberto Baggio
Juventus
Italian
142
2nd
Dennis Bergkamp
Inter Milan
Dutch
83
3rd
Eric Cantona
Manchester United
French
34
 
 
 
 
 
 
1994
1st
Hristo Stoichkov
Barcelona
Bulgarian
210
2nd
Roberto Baggio
Juventus
Italian
136
3rd
Paolo Maldini
AC Milan
Italian
109
 
 
 
 
 
 
1995
1st
George Weah
AC Milan
Liberian
144
2nd
Jürgen Klinsmann
Bayern Munich
German
108
3rd
Jari Litmanen
Ajax
Finnish
67
 
 
 
 
 
 
1996
1st
Matthias Sammer
Borussia Dortmund
German
144
2nd
Ronaldo
Barcelona
Brazilian
143
3rd
Alan Shearer
Newcastle United
English
107
 
 
 
 
 
 
1997
1st
Ronaldo
Inter Milan
Brazilian
222
2nd
Predrag Mijatović
Real Madrid
Yugoslavian
68
3rd
Zinedine Zidane
Juventus
French
63
 
 
 
 
 
 
1998
1st
Zinedine Zidane
Juventus
French
244
2nd
Davor Šuker
Real Madrid
Croatian
68
3rd
Ronaldo
Inter Milan
Brazilian
66
 
 
 
 
 
 
1999
1st
Rivaldo
Barcelona
Brazilian
219
2nd
David Beckham
Manchester United
English
154
3rd
Andriy Shevchenko
AC Milan
Ukrainian
64
 
 
 
 
 
 
2000
1st
Luís Figo
Real Madrid
Portuguese
197
2nd
Zinedine Zidane
Juventus
French
181
3rd
Andriy Shevchenko
AC Milan
Ukrainian
85
 
 
 
 
 
 
2001
1st
Michael Owen
Liverpool
English
176
2nd
Raúl
Real Madrid
Spanish
140
3rd
Oliver Kahn
Bayern Munich
German
114
 
 
 
 
 
 
2002
1st
Ronaldo
Real Madrid
Brazilian
169
2nd
Roberto Carlos
Real Madrid
Brazilian
145
3rd
Oliver Kahn
Bayern Munich
German
110
 
 
 
 
 
 
2003
1st
Pavel Nedvěd
Juventus
Czech
190
2nd
Thierry Henry
Arsenal
French
128
3rd
Paolo Maldini
AC Milan
Italian
123
 
 
 
 
 
 
2004
1st
Andriy Shevchenko
AC Milan
Ukrainian
175
2nd
Deco
Barcelona
Portuguese
139
3rd
Ronaldinho
Barcelona
Brazilian
133
 
 
 
 
 
 
2005
1st
Ronaldinho
Barcelona
Brazilian
225
2nd
Frank Lampard
Chelsea
English
148
3rd
Steven Gerrard
Liverpool
English
142
 
 
 
 
 
 
2006
1st
Fabio Cannavaro
Real Madrid
Italian
173
2nd
Gianluigi Buffon
Juventus
Italian
124
3rd
Thierry Henry
Arsenal
French
121
 
 
 
 
 
 
2007
1st
Kaká
AC Milan
Brazilian
444
2nd
Cristiano Ronaldo
Manchester United
Portuguese
277
3rd
Lionel Messi
Barcelona
Argentinian
255
 
 
 
 
 
 
2008
1st
Cristiano Ronaldo
Manchester United
Portuguese
446
2nd
Lionel Messi
Barcelona
Argentinian
281
3rd
Fernando Torres
Liverpool
Spanish
179
 
 
 
 
 
 
2009
1st
Lionel Messi
Barcelona
Argentinian
473
2nd
Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid
Portuguese
233
3rd
Xavi
Barcelona
Spanish
170
 
 
 
 
 
 
FIFA Ballon d'Or (2010-2015)
2010
1st
Lionel Messi
Barcelona
Argentinian
22.65%
2nd
Andrés Iniesta
Barcelona
Spanish
17.36%
3rd
Xavi
Barcelona
Spanish
16.48%
 
 
 
 
 
 
2011
1st
Lionel Messi
Barcelona
Argentinian
47.88%
2nd
Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid
Portuguese
21.60%
3rd
Xavi
Barcelona
Spanish
9.23%
 
 
 
 
 
 
2012
1st
Lionel Messi
Barcelona
Argentinian
41.60%
2nd
Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid
Portuguese
23.68%
3rd
Andrés Iniesta
Barcelona
Spanish
10.91%
 
 
 
 
 
 
2013
1st
Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid
Portuguese
27.99%
2nd
Lionel Messi
Barcelona
Argentinian
24.72%
3rd
Franck Ribéry
Bayern Munich
French
23.36%
 
 
 
 
 
 
2014
1st
Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid
Portuguese
37.66%
2nd
Lionel Messi
Barcelona
Argentinian
15.76%
3rd
Manuel Neuer
Bayern Munich
German
15.72%
 
 
 
 
 
 
2015
1st
Lionel Messi
Barcelona
Argentinian
41.33%
2nd
Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid
Portuguese
27.76%
3rd
Neymar
Barcelona
Brazilian
7.86%
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ballon d'Or (2016-)
2016
1st
Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid
Portuguese
745
2nd
Lionel Messi
Barcelona
Argentinian
316
3rd
Antoine Griezmann
Atlético Madrid
French
198
 
 
 
 
 
 
2017
1st
Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid
Portuguese
946
2nd
Lionel Messi
Barcelona
Argentinian
670
3rd
Neymar
Paris Saint-Germain
Brazilian
361
 
 
 
 
 
 
2018
1st
Luka Modrić
Real Madrid
Croatian
753
2nd
Cristiano Ronaldo
Juventus
Portuguese
476
3rd
Antoine Griezmann
Atlético Madrid
French
414
 
 
 
 
 
 
2019
1st
Lionel Messi
Barcelona
Argentinian
686
2nd
Virgil van Dijk
Liverpool
Dutch
679
3rd
Cristiano Ronaldo
Juventus
Portuguese
476
 
 
 
 
 
 
2020
Ceremony Was Cancelled Due to COVID-19. The General Opinion is that Robert Lewandowski Deserved the Award.
 
 
 
 
 
 
2021
1st
Lionel Messi
Paris Saint-Germain
Argentinian
613
2nd
Robert Lewandowski
Bayern Munich
Polish
580
3rd
Jorginho
Chelsea
Italian
460
 
 
 
 
 
 
2022
1st
Karim Benzema
Real Madrid
French
549
2nd
Sadio Mané
Liverpool
Senegalese
193
3rd
Kevin De Bruyne
Manchester City
Belgian
175
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