The Ballon d'Or Winners from the English Top Flight

Only a few Ballon d'Or winners in history were playing in the English top flight while receiving the awards.

The 2023–24 season has been over. All club competitions, both domestic and continental ones, have already seen their champions. Some players have emerged as strong contenders for the Ballon d'Or award, the prestigious annual award for global players and managers.

This year, key Real Madrid players are naturally dominating the top names on the list. Winning twice in the current campaign is certainly a crucial factor. Another one to consider would be their superb individual performances. Vinicius Jr. and Jude Bellingham are notably the frontrunners, followed by Toni Kroos, Kylian Mbappe, and probably Harry Kane. Sadly, none of them are playing for the Premier League teams. This is quite a decline compared to the 2022–23 campaign when EPL was represented by Erling Haaland.

In the history of the Ballon d'Or, only five footballers were awarded such a top accolade while playing for the English top flight. Here are those notable names:

Cristiano Ronaldo (2008)

The Portuguese superstar is the last Ballon d'Or winner from the Premier League. Yet, it was not during his second stint a few years ago but during his first stint in 2008! That was the first time CR7 clinched the award, beating Lionel Messi and Spanish forward Fernando Torres. The 2007–08 season was undoubtedly one of CR7’s best performances in his career. He won doubles for Manchester United in the Premier League and Champions League, plus the FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup. He also won the Golden Boot in the English top flight, the Champions League, the Premier League Player of the Season, and the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year. Such piles of accolades eventually led him to be awarded FIFA World’s Best Player in the same year. Cristiano Ronaldo has been boosting Manchester United tickets demand during his stay at Old Trafford.

The only flaw he had in 2008 was his failure to help Portugal go further in the UEFA EURO Championship. Seleccao das Aguias’s campaign in the tournament ended in the quarterfinal after losing 3-2 to Germany. The former Real Madrid and Juventus man only bagged one goal but provided three assists. Such was quite in contrast to his contribution to his club, with 42 goals and eight assists in 49 games.

Michael Owen (2001)

Michael Owen is the last Englishman to win a Ballon d'Or. Sadly, it was already more than 20 years ago. He toppled Real Madrid star Raul Gonzales and German and Bayern goalkeeper Oliver Kahn in the voting.

The English frontman was at the peak of his career at that time. In the 2000–01 season, he was instrumental in helping Liverpool win the treble, the FA Cup, the EFL League Cup, and the UEFA Cup, alongside Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard, and Robbie Fowler. Owen also lifted the UEFA Super Cup trophy after beating Bayern Munich 3-2. Overall, he netted 24 goals and set up eight goals in 46 matches.

In the international fixtures, his hattrick against Germany in a 5-1 rout in Munich during the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifying round was the one that made the former Newcastle and Real Madrid players stand out. It was England’s first victory on German soil in competitive games.

George Best (1968)

He was tipped to be one of the best football players of his time. The Northern Ireland international was playing for Manchester United. In the 1967–68 campaign, he contributed heavily to their first glory on the continent. He scored 32 goals and seven assists in 53 games. Unfortunately, Best was not able to defend the league title that season. United only finished second, only two points adrift from the league leader, Manchester City. He was awarded the Ballon d'Or in 1986 after beating his teammate, Bobby Charlton, and Yugoslavia’s Dragan Dzajic.

Bobby Charlton (1966)

He was England’s World Cup hero in the 1966 FIFA World Cup. The former Manchester United midfielder was the key man in England’s glorious campaign, leading to their only silverware to date at the senior level, contributing three goals during the tournament, including a decisive brace in the semifinal while securing a narrow 2-1 win over the unlikely dark horse, Portugal. Unfortunately, Charlton failed to lead his club to win the league title. They only finished fourth behind Liverpool, Leeds United, and Burnley in the final standings of England’s top division, despite his 18-goal contribution in 49 games throughout the season. In the voting, he toppled Benfica legend Eusebio and the young Franz Beckenbauer on the table. Both also stole the spotlight at the World Cup.

Denis Law (1964)

Another former Manchester United man who once won the accolade is the former Scottish international, Denis Law. He is the only Scottish player to ever receive this prestigious award. Law was awarded in 1964, despite not winning silverware for Manchester United. He did score plenty, contributing 46 goals and two assists in only 43 games in the 1963–64 campaign. Yet, United only became the runners-up in the league and were knocked out in the semifinals of the FA Cup. However, the former Manchester City and Torino man did win the British Home Championship, the well-known regional competition in its era, although the title was shared. In the voting, Law was awarded ahead of Inter Milan forward Luis Suarez and Real Madrid’s Amancio.

Sir Stanley Matthews (1956)

This is probably an anomaly, even back then, when the first Ballon d'Or went to a lesser-known footballer, Sir Stanley Matthews. The Englishman was awarded its inaugural edition in 1956. The Blackpool legend was voted ahead of two key Real Madrid players, Raymond Kopa and Alfredo Di Stefano. Matthews never played abroad, and in the 1955–56 season, he only helped Blackpool finish second in England’s top division behind Manchester United with 11 points adrift. What’s more, he was already 41 years old at that time. The only silverware he delivered to the team in the same year was the British Home Championship.