Super Ballon d’Or Award: Top 10 Contenders (Ranked)

Football is a team sport, and there is no glory greater than winning silverware with your team. However, a few prestigious individual awards mean the world to players. The Ballon d’Or in that regard has been seen as ,the most prestigious individual sporting prize. There’s something even more prestigious than the Ballon d’Or, and it’s called the Super Ballon d’Or. Greats of the game like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo Nazario would be in contention for the award.

Created by France Football, owned by the L’Equipe Group, the Ballon d’Or award has been handed out annually since 1956. A grand gala ceremony precedes the award presentation, along with a few other awards like the Kopa Trophy for the best young men’s player, the Gerd Muller Trophy for the best striker, and the Yashin Trophy for the best male goalkeeper. Similarly, women’s awards are also presented along with the Ballon d’Or.

And now there’s another that supersedes the Ballon d’Or’s reputation. We will let you know everything there is to know regarding the Super Ballon d’Or.

What is Super Ballon d’Or Award?

The Super Ballon d’Or is an award that was handed out on 24 December 1989 by the French magazine France Football. The award recognised the best male football player of the last three decades at that time. The trophy resembles a Ballon d’Or but features multiple gold footballs at its base.

The Super Ballon d’Or is arguably the rarest award in football, as it was awarded only once in the history of the sport. After 1989, nearly three and a half decades have passed and there is no talk of another award being handed out. It makes the only Super Ballon d’Or winner pretty unique. We will jump into who won the Super Ballon d’Or award beforehand.

Who Won the Super Ballon d’Or Previously?

Ball d’Or was restricted to only European players in 1989. It remained the norm until the 1995 ruling, legends of yesteryear like Diego Maradona and Pele from competing for the Super Ballon d’Or in 1989. Hence, European heavyweights like Michel Platini, Franz Beckenbauer, and Johan Cruyff were all in the running.

However, a jury of fans and former winners of the Ballon d’Or picked Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano as the Super Ballon d’Or winner after voting. The legendary forward scored 308 times for Los Blancos in 396 games and lifted 18 trophies with them during his 11-year stay with the club from 1953-1964.

List of Super Ballon d’Or Contenders

There is no official talk of the Super Ballon d’Or award making a return. But assuming it would make a comeback in 2029, four decades after the original award was presented, we made a list of contenders.

Although many legends have graced the sport in the last four decades, the top contenders would be only two legends who made the game international like no one ever did.

How We Determined the Super Ballon d’Or Ranking?

The number of stars who dominated the pitch over the last four decades is quite incredible. However, to make the top 10 Super Ballon d’Or ranking, we had to make some hard choices. We used the following criteria to rank the players.

Career Stats

The players must have an incredible stat column. The goals and assists are the difference makers in the world of football, and it is important to have a healthy stat list.

Legacy

The players on the list influenced millions around the world to take up the sport. Their feats and exploits should be talked about for decades after their retirement as well.

Longevity & Consistency

Having an incredibly long career with sustained impact and a trophy-laden career is also one of the key criteria.

Trophies Won

With their talent, the players must help their side win silverware after silverware and establish an era of domination. Hence, the Super Ballon d’Or winner must have a legendary trophy cabinet.

Individual Awards & Honours

Once the team achieves incredible success because of the players, they become contenders for individual awards. Plenty of players on the list are Ballon d’Or award winners.

Top 10 Contenders for Super Ballon d’Or Award

A clear look at the list would’ve given you an idea of the top contenders for the Super Ballon d’Or award. In reality, we expect a two-horse race between the number one and two for the award. They will be the worthy Super Ballon d’Or winner if the award is ever rolled out.

10. Luka Modrić (Midfielder | 2003-Present)

Modric is viewed as the greatest Croatian footballer of all time. The midfield maestro had humble beginnings at Dinamo Zagreb. His impressive performances won him a move to Tottenham. In London, the world started to notice his special talents. Real Madrid wanted him to be the mainstay of their midfield for years to come.

They couldn’t have been more right as Modric ran the show like an artist. His passing, playmaking and goalscoring won them five Champions League titles. He was the driving force as Croatia finished runners-up at the 2018 World Cup. It won him a Ballon d’Or in the Messi-Ronaldo era to cement his position as an all-time great.

9. Xavi Hernandez (Midfielder |1997-2019)

Part of Pep Guardiola’s world-dominating midfield and a pioneer of tiki-taka, Xavi is regarded as one of the best passers in the world. He played a crucial role in Barcelona winning the country and the continent. Xavi was also Spain’s darling child as they won the World Cup and two Euros.

Xavi was an artist on the pitch as he always scanned for passing options before receiving the ball. His weight of pass and the pass’s direction always favoured the receiver’s strong foot. He also had an eye for a goal as he chipped in with crucial goals. Xavi’s simpleton role of recycling the ball meant, his teammates with a goal threat won more laurels than him.

8. Gianluigi Buffon (Goalkeeper | 1995-2023)

Regarded as the best goalkeeper of all time by many, very few could replicate Buffon’s longevity and consistent success at the top. The shot stopper broke through at Parma, and his talents were apparent very quickly. He had incredible reach and could reach the top corners or bottom corners with ease.

He won almost every trophy available in the world, including the World Cup, but he failed to get his hands on the Champions League. Despite that, his sweeping ability, cross-claiming and reflexes gave him incredible longevity to have a top-class career. If only goalkeepers could win more accolades, Buffon could’ve had a Ballon d’Or to his name.

7. Andres Iniesta(Midfielder |2002-2018)

Pep Guardiola earned legendary status at Barcelona as a player and as a coach. He came back to build one of the best midfields in history. Andres Iniesta was the beating heart of that trio. His attacking vision and creative passing made him one of the best attacking midfielders of all time. He also had great threat in the final third, and who could forget that epic 116^th-minute winner at the 2010 World Cup?

It would be a grave sin not to discuss Iniesta’s all-round play. His contribution to keeping the balance between attack and defence was well appreciated. He was always ready to take a hit for the team’s gain and earned his place in the history books.

6. Ronaldinho (Forward | 1998-2015)

Brazilians are known to produce Joga Bonito (beautiful football). They treat football as a form of dance and gracefully enjoy it. The superstars from the land dominated the game, and Ronaldinho was the crème of crème. His dribbling, skills, and the speed of thought made him a blur on the field as markers often struggled to get a hold of him.

He won a World Cup and Ballon d’Or in quick succession to cement himself as one of the best in the world. However, the latter part of his career didn’t go as planned, as his form dipped. Some say that his hunger for the game was gone as he struggled to replicate his previous form. Even at limited capacity, he was a joy to watch than most other footballers in the world.

5. Paolo Maldini (Defender | 1984-2009)

Maldini is often defined as a synonym of loyalty. He is also a natural-born leader, which helped him become one of the best-ever defenders to grace the beautiful game. He was a pure defender who always knew where the player with the ball would go. Sniffing out danger before it even appears and putting it out was his trademark.

He broke through at Milan and spent his career there. He started as a rookie and progressed through the ranks to become their captain. With unbelievable class and composure, he led them to seven league titles and five Champions League titles. He was an inspiration to different generations of playing coming up at the club.

4. Ronaldo Nazario (Forward| 1993-2011)

Dubbed as O Fenomeno, Ronaldo Nazario redefined forward play for an entire generation, and his influence will live on for years to come. Belovely called R9, he was a freak of nature with a sensational combination of pace, power and intelligence. He breezed past defenders, and often the game was won before a ball was kicked when he started.

He had an illustrious career playing for top clubs in the world like Barcelona and Real Madrid. His international career was really the talking point as he helped them to two World Cups and a Copa America, picking up two Ballon d’Ors along the way. R9 struggled with injuries as he aged, and it prevented him from having a storied career.

3. Zinedine Zidane (Midfielder | 1989-2006)

Hailing from a country of footballing greats, Zidane did more than a splendid job to carve a place for himself as a true great of the game. His skill, aura and on-field antics made him one of the best midfielders of all time. He passed the ball with aplomb, and his ball striking was of the highest order. He always had the knack for scoring crucial goals.

Zidane was not only a great attacker, but he was also an engine in the middle of the park. With excellent tracking back and tackling technique, he won the ball and started attacks seamlessly. His leadership stood out, and he became a great coach to solidify his legacy. His success as a coach also helps build his case in the Super Ballon d’Or ranking.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Forward |2002-Present)

The legendary Portuguese international is one of the finest athletes of all time across all sports. His exploits in multiple countries and his charisma off the field made him a god-like figure to billions around the world. To go with it, he is a once-in-a-generation goal scorer and football player. Ronaldo’s rivalry with Lionel Messi defined an era of football for many.

Cristiano Ronaldo broke out as a pacy winger who gave sleepless nights to defenders. He saw incredible success and won the Ballon d’Or at Manchester United before leaving for Real Madrid as a galactico. What followed was history as he became Mr Champions League by winning five titles and scoring numerous crucial goals, called clutch goals. Ronaldo transitioned to a central striker to keep up playing in the 40s.

1. Lionel Messi (Forward |2004-Present)

If the Super Ballon d’Or winner is to be picked tomorrow, Lionel Messi would undoubtedly be the first choice. The Argentine maestro is a natural talent who breathes football every second. His skill, technique, agility, goal scoring and chance creation were all out of this world. His feats with the ball at his feet often made us wonder whether he was an extraterrestrial being.

From his humble beginning at Barcelona to a storied fairy tale ending at Inter Miami, Messi became the most decorated player in the history of the game. He filled his trophy cabinets with every single trophy available and lifted an unprecedented eight Ballon d’Ors. So when the next Super Ballon d’Or date is revealed, make sure Messi is free on the day.

Super Ballon D’Or Date

Although there is no official Super Ballon d’Or date or talk yet, the fans and pundits are stirring a conversation. Their whispers might brew a storm in the ears of France Football. Hence, 2029 might be a possible date marking the four-decade anniversary of the first award.