The FIFA World Player of the Year was an association football award presented annually by the sport's governing body, FIFA, between 1991 and 2015 at the FIFA World Player Gala. Coaches and captains of
Ronaldo, the youngest recipient of the award aged 20, won it three times.
Marta, the youngest recipient of the award aged 20, won it five times.
Birgit Prinz won the award three times.
The Ballon d'Or is an annual association football award presented by French magazine France Football since 1956 to honour the player judged to have performed the best over the previous season.
FIFA World Player of the Year
…successive years. From 2010 to 2015, the equivalent men's award was the FIFA Ballon d'Or, following a merging of the FIFA World Player of the Year and the France Football Ballon d'Or awards. Since 2016, the awards have been replaced by The Best FIFA Men's Player and The Best FIFA Women's Player awards. Eight women's footballers…
December 1956 issue of France Football magazine presenting the inaugural Ballon d'Or winner—Stanley Matthews.
Gianni Rivera hoisting the 1969 Ballon d'Or.
Lionel Messi has won a record eight Ballons d'Or across three different decades, and holds the record for most consecutive wins, with four between 2009 and 2012.